Let It Go!
by Rebel15
Summary: This is an AU story of Callie and Arizona taking a journey together. When first they met Callie was around 30 and Arizona was around 19. Arizona leaves making Callie falling head over heel and never comes back. So, will they meet again? Are these people destined to be together? You are gonna meet a very different CalZona pair. CalZona endgame for sure.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N1:_**

 _This is an AU story of Callie and Arizona-something which has never been written before. At least, I have not read something like this. Callie is around 30 and Arizona is around 19. Callie is from Canada and Arizona is from Europe, Callie is a professor, and Arizona is a high-school graduate. And Arizona's character is loosely based on someone I know, so she would be very different. I don't know if they will find their path together. But, I want to try. I'm super excited to explore this journey._

 **And the whole story will be written from Callie's point of view… now enjoyyy… the most sizzling couple of the world is back!**

* * *

I always hate plane rides as I am so afraid of them. When the plane bumps or falls into air turbulence, I start feeling like I am dying or something like that. I am flying back to Canada from Italy after a conference and it's a long flight. While settling myself in the seat, I look around. No, I don't see any acquaintances. I like to talk in journeys and when I cannot talk, I feel more suffocated. I'm sitting at the aisle seat and there is an old passenger at the window seat. The middle seat is still empty. I just hope that there should be somebody, whom I can talk to pass this long 12 hours flight to Calgary. I impatiently look around.

"Excuse me?"

I look up and see a very young girl is standing just near me with her big backpack. I look at her with a questioning look.

"I think, that middle seat is mine."

Oh! God, now I have to pass this long plane ride with this school kid? She looks like 14 or 15. I feel more disgusted, though I stand up so that she can take her seat. Now, I'm kind of pissed off. I am never good with kids. I simply don't understand them and nowadays kids are so immature. Anyways, I cannot choose my co-passenger. There should be a system though, so that we can choose with whom we can sit in the flight. But, I have to stop thinking anything now as the plane has started moving, now it is toeing slowly and soon the engine will start. I quietly swallow and look around again just to relax myself. I turn to my left and see that the girl is sitting in a relax way. I feel awkward. If this school kid can be so relax, I also should be. I try to relax my body; however, right then, the engines start with a booming sound and all my resolutions to be strong go out of the window. Well, the window is closed, but they would go if the window would have been opened.

I can literally feel that the lower of my stomach gets emptied as the plane starts going up leaving the ground. I don't know how long I have been like this, till I hear the girl suggests in the most flat tone, "you can open your eyes now." Okay, I even don't know that my eyes are closed. Embarrassingly I open my eyes.

"It was not like I was afraid." I try to behave adult.

"You can leave my hand too," she again says flat.

Now I look down and discover I am clutching her left hand with my right and it is a quite tight grip. I am busted.

"I'm sorry."

She even does not reply. She quietly brings out her headphone and plays something from her mobile.

This is the first time, I actually notice the girl. She has a pale skin, blonde hair and has a typical nerdy look on her face.

I cannot sit like this without talking to anybody. It's been an hour- I have finished the snacks also provided in the aircraft. I decide to talk to her- well talk to that kid.

I clear my throat, "umm…so, are you going to Canada?" This is a good starter.

She looks at me and for the first time I see a pair of baby blue eyes. I have seen blue eyes, but I don't know- this pair seems to be different. "I guess, this plane is going to Canada."

I see her busting me again in a flat tone accompanying the most flat face without any expression.

"Yeah! it is." What can I say now? My good starter has fallen on the floor.

"I guess, you are going to Canada too?" This is the first time, I see a little smile is playing in the corner of her lips.

"I am." I laugh at the ease of the conversation.

"So, which grade are you in? Grade 9? I guess, grade 8." I try to talk to her.

"I'm 19 years old. I have finished my high school and am about to start my undergraduate." Now this kid, well no more a kid, seems to be little offended. Have I told that how bad I'm talking to kids?

She looks at me with dissatisfaction. I try to balm, "well, I would be happy if somebody would have told me that I don't look like 30, rather I look like 25." I give my best smile. Anybody is almost bound to melt in my smile. At least, so far people have melted, both males and females!

"You look like 30 and certainly not like 25," she nods wisely.

What kind of girl she is! I feel like changing my seat. Nobody tells this on anyone's face.

Then she adds, "the way you don't like to look older, I don't like to look younger." Then she smiles popping both her dimples. And I don't know, I just feel like my world has stopped there. She has the most amazing smile. Does she even know it? I take a huge gulp from my juice to moist my dry throats.

"I will turn 19 this November though, I like telling that I'm 19."

"What's your name?"

"Arizona." She still is looking at her mobile, as if trying to figure out something.

"Arizona? Quite unique." I try to joke a little, "so, are you named after the state in the USA?"

She gives me a hard glare and I realize that I am kaput again. Okay, I have to play little cool, if I plan to pass this 12 hours smoothly.

"Okay, sorry… so, Ari…zo..na… what? What is your surname?"

"You don't need my surname." Arizona replies in an unexciting voice.

"Yes, I don't need, but people usually say their surnames, don't they?" I try to argue as I find it weird that she is not willing to tell her surname. This is in my nature. If somebody says "no" to me, I become interested to get in. Bad habit though!

"I don't." she starts fixing the loop of her headphone completely ignoring my presence.

"Like, I can tell my last name to you." I try to sound interesting.

"I even don't need to know your first name." she says while putting her headphones back and closes her eyes.

Now, this is insulting. A 19 years old cannot talk to me like this. My students are older than her.

I plug out the headphones from her ears. "I'm Callie…Callie Torres."

Arizona laughs at me as if I am a kid and younger than her, "Nice meeting you Callie," and again puts back those earphones.

Such a stubborn girl. This is the reason that I don't do well with these young people. They are so immature. Well, this kid sitting beside me is too mature- unnecessarily mature than her age. It is better that I sleep for a while instead of making myself a complete fool in front of her.

I wake up at the sound of the food cart. Oh, boy! I am really hungry now. I look at the watch- Oh, I have slept almost for two hours. 8 hours more to go.

"Ma'am, which one do you want? Chicken or vegetable?" The airhostess asks me with her best smile. Such a great job they do- they will give this same smile to the worst passenger of the plane too.

"Do you have lamb?"

"Yes." Then she passes me my food tray while asking the same question to Arizona.

I start digging my food, while I hear that the airhostess repeats her question. Not hearing any reply from my co-passenger, I run to my right.

This is first time, I see that the confidence of the girl falls a little low. She looks at me, "which one would be good?"

Great, now she needs my help. "Maybe, lamb?"

"I like mashed potato."

In between, impatiently, the airhostess again asks her choice.

"They don't have mashed potato." Then turning to the airhostess, I request her to give her lamb roast just like me.

"So, you like mashed potato?" I start talking while putting a spoonful of rice in my mouth.

"Yes, I can live on mashed potato."

I laugh on my own thinking about her love for mashed potato.

So, once the food trays are taken back, I start looking around just to find a way to pass time. Suddenly, I notice that the boy sitting to the next aisle seat has been looking at our direction from time to time. After observing him for few minutes, I get it.

"Well, if you are interested, you can go on a date on the aircraft!" I quietly inform Arizona, who is busy in playing some silly game on the screen.

"Pardon me?" She asks still not looking at me, as she is too busy in chasing a ball in the game.

"Look at the boy." I almost poke her ribs with my arm pointing towards the boy with my eyes.

Very unenthusiastically, she turns her face to look at the boy. The young boy immediately waves her.

"See?" I play like a winner.

"I'm not interested." She resumes her game.

"Oh! So, do you have someone back home?" I laugh my typical all knowing smile.

Now, she puts down the screen and for the first time, she turns towards me moving her whole body. Right away, I start feeling awkward. There is something in this girl, which makes me feeling different making my confident self down.

"Confession time!" She goes on, "I'm a lesbian…like lesbianic lesbian… I was never into a relationship and I never had any physical relationship with anybody." She flashes this information without taking any pause.

"Lesbian?" I just state. I have never seen people flashing information about their being straight or gay like this.

"Don't you see, what I'm wearing?"

"What are you wearing?" Then I notice that she is wearing skinny jeans with flannel shirt. "So?" What is the relationship between her dress and her being lesbian? I'm still pretty flashed.

"Golden lesbians wear skinny pants and flannel shirt." She informs me making a wise face.

Before I can process the information, I notice that the old man who is sitting right beside her is looking at both of us with flashed eyes. Not only him, I can feel few other pairs of staring eyes from the surrounding. The conversation was quite loud, I guess.

By this time, she also looks around and her baby face becomes more baby-like. Suddenly, I flash a smile and hold her hand, "lesbians are hot, you know…especially baby lesbians." She seems to be relaxed a bit. But instantly asks, "are you trying to flirt with me?"

I jump out of my seat. "What?"

"Just to let you know that I don't date people who are more than 6 years older than me." Arizona goes back to her usual flat self. Is she little rude too? And I even don't want to date her. I mean, she is so young. What will I do with her? Well, this question brings naughty thoughts in me. I can do things! Ugh! I'm really trapped in the plane now.

* * *

 **A/N 2:** _so, you can see that Arizona's character is very unlikely and different. At times, she would be bitter, flat, awkward, but there will be perkiness somewhere down the line, the softer and loving side of her will come up slowly. I want to know what you think about the first chapter, especially Arizona's character and the way Callie is._

 **And most importantly, at this point updates will be super slow, as I'm terrific busy in July, August and September. Maybe, I would do once in a month till September. After that I'll be on roll and will go for once in a week.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I was not planning on updating the second chapter as I'm too busy with study and work. But, somehow I managed writing another chapter. So, here we go!**

 ** _A Quiz: Can you guess from where I have picked the title of the story? I have left a clue somewhere in this chapter!_**

* * *

∾∾∾ "It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small  
And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all" ∾∾∾

 **Chapter 2**

"Oh, you don't date people who are more than 6 years older than you?" Although I'm pretty annoyed at her reference to my age, still find her thoughts amusing.

"No."

"Did you date anybody so far?"

"I told you, I never had a relationship." Arizona rolls her eyes now.

"Then how do you know that you don't date older people?" I try to dig a little.

"I know!" Arizona leans back on her seat giving me a signal that she is not interested to talk anymore.

"Just so you know, I also don't date kids from the school." I cannot help but teasing her a bit.

"I'm not a kid." She sits straight on the seat and turns to me.

Satisfactorily, I close my eyes, "yes, you are!"

"I'm not." I only hear the stone cold voice, but cannot see the face as my eyes are closed.

"Yeah…you are!"

I have never assumed that the conversation is going to take this turn. I just wish to get out from this awkward situation as soon as possible. But, before I think anymore, the plane falls into a bad air-turbulence and the seat-belt sign pops out from the roof. Oh God, why do I have to travel by plane? I could have taken a ship also. Maybe it would have taken a month; at least I would not have to die in the air.

The plane starts bumping like a roller coaster.

"You'll be okay." I hear her saying so.

"Hmm!" I'm not in a state of talking right now. I feel like going to toilet and sit there for the rest of the 10 hours.

"Are you afraid of dying?" Arizona asks.

Oh boy, this girl will kill me with her innocent questions before the plane crashes. I prepare myself to give her a tough answer. This is too much now. But, before I utter anything, she slides her left hand in my right and laces her fingers tightly with mine. "You will be okay." She smiles, that is able to stop the whole earth which revolves around the sun. This is awkward. The plane is bumping like a football and my heart is racing against everything because a 19 years girl is holding my hand to relieve me. This is so thwarting. I try to shake my head and concentrate on the bumping.

After few minutes, when the plane seems to be flying okay, she slides back her hand.

"No, I'm not afraid of dying." I decide to answer her question. "But, I'm afraid of dying before doing all those things, I wanna do in this life. Aren't you afraid of dying?"

This is the first time I see her face gathers some sort of interest in the exchange. "Nah! I don't think, I would survive more than 25." She seems to be serious.

"Why?" I have never heard such young people talking about death so seriously.

"I simply don't want to live anymore." She makes a wise face.

"Why?" I cannot resist myself but to ask. Slowly Arizona is making me interested to know more about her.

"I don't find it interesting to live anymore. I have lived 18 years and that's enough." Saying this she tugs her loose hair behind her ear and relaxes herself while leaning back on the seat in a motion which gives me signal to stop talking. This girl is so outlandish like her name, nonetheless, making me engrossed.

When I wake up from my second or third sleep, I feel heaviness on my right shoulder. When I finally can open my sleepy eyes, I find Arizona sleeping on my shoulder leaving her body weight on me. I try to move her head back to her backrest, she instantly comes back on my shoulder. I laugh a little seeing her babyish kind of sleep. I fix both her and my blanket and go back to sleep.

"Callie…?" from my sleep, I hear somebody calling me, "excuse me Callie!"

"After second or third try, I wake up finally.

"Callie, I'll go to washroom. If you could kindly move…" Arizona requests me.

"Oh…okay…I'll also go… I haven't gone for peeing for last few hours." Standing up from my seat, I do a little stretch up and then start walking towards the toilet.

While taking an empty stall, she almost shyly asks, "how to close the door? This is my first ride."

"This is simple," telling this I shove her inside while stepping into the washroom with her. I show her how to lock, but while unlocking, I suddenly discover that the lock is totally jammed. Oh, boy…! Arizona is standing just behind me in the tiny toilet of the plane and trying to peek through my shoulder to see what I'm doing. This is the first time I notice that we are almost at the same height; I might be a little taller than her though!

"What happened?"

"It's jammed." As I turn my face to her after saying this, for the first time, I feel that my eyes are locked with her. It's that moment, when for the first time ever I actually realize what is called locking eyes with somebody. Just few stray moments, however, those make me swallow hard.

"Will you try to open it?" Arizona asks still locking eyes. I feel for a second she also feels those floating moments.

"Yes." I reply while pulling the knob hard and finally the door unlocks. I quickly come out and bang on the boy who was checking on Arizona. There is a clear shock on his face. Oh, shit! This is not a good idea being caught in the plane washroom together. He raises his eyebrows and out of nowhere, my naughty brain starts churning. "You know…what?" I laugh confirming his suspicion.

"Yeah, now I know…" he seems to be disturbed.

By this time, Arizona comes out and the boy gives a hurtful look to her.

"What was that?"

"I don't know!" I reply innocently and go in for another stall for the task, I was holding for a while.

While settling back in our seats, I ask, "so, Arizona, are you going to Calgary for study?"

"No!"

"For visiting relatives?"

"No"

"For what then?" This girl has a weird tendency- she would never give full answer. So far, I have discovered that I have to ask her the exact question.

"I won a quiz contest and the prize included visiting two cities of Canada." She replies happily.

"Then you must be a super nerdy thing."

"You can say that! I'm nerdy about TV shows!" Arizona rolls her eyes. This eye rolling thing really goes with her.

"TV shows?"

"It was a quiz about TV show and no one can beat me if it is about my favorite show."

Typical youth- all about TV shows- I laugh a little.

"So, which is the other city, you are planning to visit?"

"Toronto."

"Toronto?"

"yeah, I always wanted to go to Toronto. I picked Calgary just randomly, as I had to pick two!" Arizona seems really happy that she will get to see Toronto.

"Well, Toronto is a busy town and I don't like Toronto."

"I'll see that.." Arizona again starts surfing the aircraft channels.

Usually, in a conversation, people ask counter question, but Arizona has not asked any question to me so far. Isn't it weird? Oh, I'm bored now.

We still have 3 hours to go. I don't hate anything else, the way I hate plane journeys.

So, when the second and last meal comes, this time I go for chicken platter and Arizona takes pasta.

"Yikes, the pasta is horrible. They don't know how to cook." Arizona cringes her nose and I find this so adorable. Without taking her permission, I dig my spoon in her pasta and have a spoonful.

"Yeah… it's truly yikes!"

"This is not polite, you know."

"What's that?" I ask in confusion.

"Taking food from someone's plate without asking." Arizona replies quietly.

"You share my one." I shove my food towards her. "That's what friends do."

"When did we become friends?" She laughs while sharing my food.

"Just now, when we have shared each other's food!"

Arizona again laughs softly. While she is eating, I start noticing her silently. She is one of the very few people who have been able to hold my concentration for quite a long time. More than anything, I have started liking her sassiness. This girl has that dangerous combination of wilderness and shyness, which I have never seen before. Apparently, she is an inhibited one, takes time to open up and never gives herself completely, but at the same time, she has that untamed thing in her, which may derive people crazy to know her more. It's like diving into the sea to know the mysteries underneath, even though we know how dangerous it could be.

Well, we are about to land after two hours and the plane ride has not been that bad as I thought 10 hours back!

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 **A/N 2: I might finish this story abruptly. Due to some personal reasons, I don't think that I'll be able to do anything with this. I'm just giving you a shout-out before hand, so you don't get upset. I have written down few bits and pieces, which I will try to upload in the coming days. This story is so near to my heart that it hurts to write it even. I hope you would understand. Especially, those who are my regular readers and reviewers, you know that how much heart-follower I'm. Thanks in advance for understanding.**


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: My dear angry bird readers, you will kill me with your comments and angry PMs… I feel terrible when you people are rude or angry as I write only for you people. You know that I love you all, right? Although, I thought to upload once in a month, here is another chapter just to grovel my angry readers! And Happy belated Canada day._**

 ** _Greyfanme:_** Welcome to the story and thanks for liking it.

 **Guest** : Hey, I have no intention to take away the Candy from you! I have still few chapters to go. So, till then enjoy the candies.

 **Kendas** : it's so interesting that you have a similar situation. But, you are lucky that you two found your ways together. Maybe everyone in life is not that lucky.

 **Calzonafan123** : ha ha… come on. I'm still writing, aren't I?

 **TweetyGurl46** : Thanks sweetheart reader…

 **mientosz** : Yeah! I also find them super cool… and my Arizona here is the best. I can read her lines rest of my life.

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∾∾∾ _"There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment."_ ∾∾∾

 **Chapter 3**

Since this is Arizona's first landing in Canada, she queues in a different line for customs check out and I go for another checkout line. After 25 minutes I come out in the meet and greet area to find the person who is going to receive me. I am basically here for a conference for two days before I return to my home in Toronto. While looking here and there, I catch up that Arizona is walking towards the transportation zone. I wave her to catch her attention.

"So, is the hotel going to send you a car or something?"

"I did not book a hotel yet"

"No... you are joking, right?"

In this time when the biggest conference of the year is taking place, there is no way that she would find any room in Calgary without booking. Before she answers, someone just calls me out, "Dr. Torres?"

"Nick?"

"Yes, your host." He gives a heartfelt smile.

"Nick, do you think it is possible to get a room for two days? This girl needs a room." I ask pointing at Arizona.

"Not this week. There could be one or two near to the airport, but they are expensive beyond the limit."

Arizona looks at me and says, "don't worry... I'll have something. Thanks though. Bye then." She starts walking towards the shuttle service pushing her cart.

"She will not get anything for sure. Even for you, since you confirmed at the last moment, we had a hard time. Because of this problem, you have a deluxe king room, as we could not find any single."

"Deluxe king?" I just start running towards Arizona.

"Hey, you can stay in my room. I have a king room."

"What?" She narrows her eyebrows in confusion.

"Arizona, you are not gonna get anything. And I can share the room with you. Just two days!" Right now I'm just trying to help her, I even don't know why. At this moment also, I know how silly it must be sounding. But, I'm really concerned about her. A new girl in a new country- how will she manage without having a room?

"I can't go with you! I even don't know you." She rolls her eyes and I find this super adorable.

"I don't know you either." Now I'm annoyed.

"Who knows if you try to do anything with me?" Arizona makes a plotter face.

This really annoys me. "To do anything, I don't need to pick a 19 years from the airport. I'm heading towards hotel, if you wanna come, then walk with me, otherwise stay here at the airport." I start walking towards Nick.

Arizona quickly catches after me. "You know, I have black belt in kung-fu, in case you are unable to contain yourself."

"I will try to contain myself, although it would be sooooo difficult." I give her a playful seductive wink. I like this playfulness with her. She sometimes is really immature, but I see, that with her I can have that great playful conversation, which I never had before with anyone. I know her only for 13 hours or so- but her awkwardness is kind of nailing me down.

After checking in the hotel room, Arizona seems to be quite impressed with the room. In fact, I'm too. Actually, they had to book this grand hotel for me, as all other hotels were completely booked.

"So, you are rich, right?" Arizona asks and I don't know why, I feel she has a sarcastic tone there.

"Umm… I don't think so…" I really don't know how to reply. This is one of the most common questions in my life. And I hate it that people immediately start treating me in different way when they come to know about my family's background.

"I'm a poor professor, you know!" I try not to answer her directly.

"Poor professor? Then how do the rich ones look like?" Again she teases me.

"Arizona, settle down yourself, I have to go for the conference. And feel like it's yours, okay?" I really don't want to go down that line.

She quietly nods. From her expression, I'm pretty sure that she does not like the fact that she has taken my help.

After coming out from shower, I find her lying on the bed tiredly. She must be tired. She is lying on her back closing her eyes. I cannot help but slowly looking at her from her toe to head, albeit creepily.

While blowing my hair, I inform her that she can use the dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner as this room for two includes all of them. However, I suddenly catch her on the mirror checking on me. I kind of curse myself coming out from the shower in a bathrobe revealing most parts of my body. Nonetheless, now I'm feeling little bit of mischievous too.

"Are you listening to me?"

"Ya..ya…I'm." She stammers and looks at the other side of the wall. So, I'm right. I try to play with her a bit. I always have been a player type, but a harmless one.

"So, are you thinking about something else?" I ask her locking my eyes on the mirror on her.

Abruptly Arizona changes the topic, "So, you are a professor, right? Dr. Torres?"

I stop what I have been doing as she addresses me as Dr. Torres. At university, everyone calls me Dr. Torres, but I never found it as sexy as it is sounding right now. Oh! I even don't know what is happening with me. I shake my head in an attempt to clear something.

"I'm." I move to the changing room in an attempt to hide my reddening cheeks.

The paper has gone really well and now I have a whole day to attend different sessions. However, time to time, I cannot help but thinking what Arizona is doing, if she has eaten something or if she is okay. _Okay. Torres, get back to work, you cannot think about someone whom you have met just a day before_. And she is practically a kid compare to me. Compare to many others at her age, of course she is much composed and mature, however, still has all those typical immaturities of a typical youth. I try to concentrate on the conference rather!

When I come back to the hotel, it's already quite late. After opening my room door, I find the room is dark, but the corner dim lights are on. That means that she is already asleep. I peek in the room and see she is really sleeping. I only can see her back though. I quietly change my dresses and slips under the cover taking the other empty side of the bed making sure that I don't go near to her. I laugh a little remembering her questions at the airport. But, has she eaten anything? Within few minutes, I drift to sleeping as I'm really too tired after the first day of conference.

The next thing, I remember of getting a hard hit on my hip and discovering myself on the floor-I'm lying flat on the floor rolled with the sheet. I try to understand for a while that where I am. Moments later, Arizona peeps out her head from the bed, "I'm sorry!"

"Did you kick me?" I'm still lying on the floor on my back.

"I tend to kick out and become very restless while sleeping." I don't see her face clearly, but there is a genuine concern in her tone.

But, I burst into laughing. "This is the first time I got kicked out by someone."

Arizona comes down and helps me to get up.

"I'm sorry!"

"Oh… that's okay baby girl." I say while fixing my hair.

"I'm not a baby girl."

"What?"

"I said, I'm not a baby girl. I'm legal you know- I can have a baby on my own."

Now, I'm amused. "Then have a baby!"

"I'll if I want to." Saying this she goes to her side of the bed and slips in under the sheet.

"Okay, big girl, I'll live to see that day."

She does not reply.

"I'm going to the café to have a cup of coffee." I inform while putting on my jacket on my night dress. I'm not a very good sleeper and once I'm up, I take time to go back to sleep. "There is a café just across the hotel. You may have a glass of wine too. On me…"

"I don't drink." She replies still hiding her face under the sheet.

"Seriously?" This is a new piece of information. Interestingly, I don't drink either, but I have hardly seen anyone that young who does not drink.

"No, not seriously." Still she is under that sheet.

"Oh!" I feel a little down, as I actually have felt good that she does not drink. It's not like that I have problem with people drinking, but since I don't drink, I feel good when I find there is someone else also does not drink.

"Of course, seriously!" She finally pops out from that silly sheet. Her hair is completely messy now and she looks too cute to resist. "I don't drink, Callie!"

I go near to her and pull her with her wrist.

"No, I will sleep and you should sleep too." Then she pulls me back to the bed suddenly.

I even don't realize how I directly fall on her making her lying under me. I can feel her soft body under mine- all of her. Again that eye locking thing- it is so weird that for the second time in my life, everything else becomes blurred except her under me. For few stray moments of both of our lives, we don't move. I see the dark shades of blue in those eyes and again feel like diving into them no matter what, discovering the wilderness I have been looking in my perfect life so far. This has never been happened before ever. I just feel like touching her brown hair- they must be very soft. In this very moment of my life, I have fallen in something deeper and mysterious before I know what it is!

"Coffee?" Arizona whispers breaking those moments. I so hate her.

"Yeah! coffee…" Somehow I manage to even my uneven breaths and motion myself to get up. Taking the room key, as I'm about the move out, she asks, "do they have fruity tea?"

"You like fruity tea?"

"Yeah….I'm a fruity or caramel tea type girl!" She pops her dimples out.

"Let's go…if they don't have, we will find another place." I open the door.

I have never liked the fruity flavor of teas, but maybe I'll start liking them!

* * *

 **A/N 2: Dear all, I'm still writing… 4 or 5 more chapters to go...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Another chapter for you. Thanks a ton for the reviews and PMs. This is the story for which I'm getting the highest number of PMs, asking me about Arizona's character. I hope, you would like this chapter. I personally enjoyed writing this, kind of savoring the moments…**

* * *

∾∾∾ " _To love is nothing. To be loved is something._

 _But to love and be loved, that's everything_ "∾∾∾

 **Chapter 4**

"What did you do last day?" I ask Arizona during the breakfast. We are late for the breakfast, as we slept quite late after out last night out.

"I just roamed in downtown and went to the China town."

"Did you like it?"

"I did." She takes a big bite of her grilled cheese sandwich.

"Today is my last day of the conference and I'm not feeling like going."

"You should concentrate on your conference." Arizona suggests me making a wise face. This is another cute side of her, when she pretends to be a grown up.

"Would you like to go to the zoo? Calgary has the nicest zoo in Canada." Actually, I'm not in a mood to go to the conference as my paper is over and I want this last day to see Calgary before I go back home.

"Zoo?" Arizona perks up with her entire self, "of course, I love zoo." This is one of the very few times, when I really can see the little girl in her who is lost somewhere.

We have taken the C-train from downtown to go to the zoo and now she is teasing me because she has bought the youth ticket and I have bought the adult ticket.

"You are not youth anymore, you know that?" Arizona gives a teasing smile.

"You are also not kid anymore, I hope you know that too," I reply her laughing.

"But, I still fall under youth and very soon you'll be senior citizen," she laughs popping her full dimples. I let her make fun of this- Arizona does this hardly ever. I just laugh nodding my heads and she laces her arms with me saying, "but I always make friends with older people easily."

I just enjoy the moment and wait when the train would reach to the station…although I don't mind if it does not reach anywhere ever.

So when we go for the tickets, I suggest her to go for the youth or student ticket for here too. But she shushes me, "see, today is the family/couple day."

"So?" I am confused but she laughs evil and tells the salesman to give a pair of couple tickets. My eyes are about to come out, it's super uncomfortable now. I look around and feel like everyone is only looking at us. After purchasing the tickets, she grabs my hand and pulls me aside, "see now we can share the fare."

"What is this?"

"Who made you a professor? Come on, today they have a special deal for couples and by this we got 50% discount, aren't you happy?"

"But this is cheating." I am still not convinced.

"Callie, now stop pouting," and she starts walking towards the entrance of the zoo. Helplessly I follow her too.

"See, penguins. I have never seen penguins" The baby-self of Arizona has again come back. This is what I like most about her. I see her clapping her hands while cheering the penguins.

"Okay, stand there; I'll click your picture with these penguins."

"No photos."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want this moment to go away while I'm busy in capturing it."

I feel like I'm at awe. She is so right. I have visited so many places, but more than enjoying I was busy in capturing them. I slide my mobile back in my pocket. Today I'll enjoy the moments rather than capturing them in vain. I go near to her and lace my fingers with her- she does not resist, I would say rather unexpectedly. I'm going to enjoy for sure.

After an hour, when we have barely seen only few of the animals, I go to the cafe to buy a bottle of juice. It takes me few minutes to come back, as there is a long line in the cafe. While walking towards Arizona, I see her talking with a girl and the way she is laughing, I have not seen her in last two days. The girl is almost at her age. I stand maintaining little distance from them respecting their personal space. But, I just feel so annoyed seeing the other girl putting hand on Arizona's arms. She is rubbing it too. Oh, now I feel like killing her. I can't see it anymore, so decide to go near to them.

"Callie, this is Joanne"

"Hi, Joanne," I barely can look at her now. Arizona notices my uncomforting attitude. "Are you okay, Callie?"

"Yeah I'm. I think we should move ahead."

"Let's go." Joanne also starts walking with us and of course breaking all the rules of personal space and almost invading into Arizona's personal space. I look at Arizona with a questioning look. "Joanne is also going to watch the gorillas," she informs me with all her perkiness.

"Okay." Now I'm following them. Both of them are discussing Alycia from some TV show called the 100. And the way, they are discussing, I feel like these two have written, directed and produced that TV show. And what kind of name is that? I don't have time to watch these silly shows. It must be some silly romantic kid show.

"Have you seen their new photo together?" Joanne asks. But suddenly Arizona turns back to me and just looks at me, "you are quite."

"I have… okay…well…I have headache." I stammer while making up something. Oh, God, this is one thing, I haven't learnt yet to lie properly. I hope, she does not get that. That would be so embarrassing for me. Arizona does not say anything, rather resumes her discussion about Alycia and Eliza. Who are they? Who knows?

After the gorillas, we move to see giraffe. In fact, I have lost all my interest to see anything. Now, I'm as if going to have a real headache.

"Arizona, I'm not feeling well. I'm going back to hotel. I'll see you at the hotel, then." Before she replies, I start walking towards the exit of the zoo. Unnecessarily, my eyes are steaming- I don't know it never happened for my boyfriend too. But with this girl, all those things are happening, which never had happened before.

After coming back to the room, I just change and go to the bed. I'm pissed off at myself more than anyone else. Why am I behaving as if I'm jealous? I barely know her since last two days only.

Arizona comes back after two hours. But, I don't open my eyes; rather I pretend that I'm sleeping. I can hear the noise of her clothes. After few minutes, she sits near to me, I can sense that but I still prefer not to be bothered.

"Callie, let's go for lunch. I'm hungry…"

I don't reply.

"Callie, I know you are not sleeping."

"You should have taken lunch before coming back to the room." I reply still closing my eyes.

"I was not feeling good, so I came back."

I turn my back to her while fixing my sheet to cover my face.

"Callie, Joanne's boyfriend and I used to go to the same school and I met Joanne back home." She just says quietly.

"She has a boyfriend and she is not lesbian?" I jump out to sit straight babbling.

Arizona gives me a smile and just gets up from the bed. "I hope now your headache is gone!"

"Headache! I mean…" Arizona cuts me in, "now get ready and come for lunch. I'm starving. It's almost dinner time."

My Lord, how many times I have to be embarrassed in front of her who knows. Why can't I control my behavior in front of her? All my vulnerabilities and insecurities are coming out in front of her. It's nothing but silly. Cursing myself I start getting up from the bed for lunch.

At sometime during midnight, I wake up with a wrestling noise beside me. I quickly get up expecting a kick from the other side and move out quickly. But, then I notice that Arizona is still sleeping but she is wrestling with some invisible someone. In the darkness too, I can see the way she is shifting herself from time to time. I quickly go by her side without much of thinking and just hug her from back tightly. "Shush… you'll be okay…you just have a bad dream," saying this I gently stroke her forehead and suddenly she seems to be peaceful. After few seconds, I hear her breathing in and out regularly. Now I'm bit confused that should I lie here hugging her or should I go back? One part of mine asks me to go back to my side, but the other part of me wants to stay here, near to her, where I can hear her breathing and can feel her pressed against me. So, I stay here not caring much how I am going to explain this to Arizona in the morning.

In the morning, I wake up with Arizona still in my arms. O God! What a feeling! I can lie here for the rest of my life, but I'm embarrassed too that I have started having little tickling feeling for this adamant girl. But, before I move, she just turns to me and I'm kind of bound to see in her eyes now, which I have been trying to avoid for a while. We are so near that her breathing is washing over my lips and it seems to be impossible not to notice that. Nonetheless, I see a kind of amusement in her eyes, as if she has found the entire situation entertaining.

"So, did you sleep on my side?" She asks still locking her eyes.

"You didn't seem to complain last night," I just whisper as my throats are dried now.

"I had a bad dream," she says lowering her eyes.

I just cannot help but reaching her cheeks, stroking them gently, "it's okay kiddo." I can feel the building tension between us and I really do not know how to break that away right now.

Arizona suddenly gets up and while stepping out from the bed she just turns and says, "thanks though."

"I thought, you don't like cuddling," I try to lighten the moment.

"I never did till now." And she slips into the washroom leaving me still on the bed.

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 **A/N: Let me know, how was that? Callie is falling fast...**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I have nothing to say. For the first time in my life, I'm wordless. I just want to finish this story now. But, THANKS to all my readers for liking this story. I'm truly grateful to all of you.**

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∾∾∾"You can love someone so much...But you can never love people as much as you can miss them"∾∾∾

 **Chapter 5**

While Arizona is in the washroom, I start checking my missed calls. Oh, Addison has called me for 15 times. She is going to kill me. So, I decide to call her before I become busy for the day, as I have afternoon flight to Toronto. I quickly move to the living area of the suit.

"Hi, Adi."

"Cal, where are you?" Addison starts yelling.

"Calm down! I'm in Calgary and you know it."

"Yes, but why didn't you call anyone? George is going crazy!" Addison informs me.

"I…" I start stammering. For last two days, I have been in a different world that I have not realized that I have a life where there is no Arizona.

"What is this, Callie?" Addison becomes conscious. She is my childhood friend; she knows every different tone I have.

"I mean…I was busy!"

"You met someone?" Addison asks confidently.

"I met a girl." I decide to put my arms down.

"A girl?"

"Yes."

"So?"

"So, nothing Adi!"

"Spill it Torres!"

"Adi, I even don't know what this is! I just feel like, I have never felt this strong connection to anybody, as if she is the one for whom I have been waiting always."

"How long do you know her?"

"I mean…I guess… three days." I somehow state knowing how weird it must have been sounding to Adi.

"Hah!"

"Adi, do you find this funny?" I ask slowly.

"I'm actually surprised, because I have never heard you saying this for anybody before. I have seen people falling for you here and there, but you never did!... except maybe George?"

"You know that I don't love George. I have him because of my dad."

"So…?"

"I don't know. She will go back to Italy after few days…"

"Does she feel the same for you?" Adi asks in concern.

"I don't know, Adi. She is the first ever who does not seem to be affected by me!"

"You are so cocky, aren't you?" Adi teases me.

"Ha, I'm…a little."

"Cal, tell me more about her."

But, then I hear the sound of the washroom door.

"Adi, I'll talk to you later." And I disconnect the phone.

As I too have to take the shower, I go in the closet room to get my clothes from the closet. I just stop at the door of the closet seeing Arizona drying up her long hair with a towel. She is still wet. I can how drops of water are dripping from her long hair on her bare shoulder. She is too busy with herself to notice me and I like a stalker stand at the doorstep savoring every bit of hers.

She looks so fresh at this moment that all I want is to taste her in my own way- exploring every spot of hers. She goes near to the dressing table and wears her rainbow bracelet. She always wears that. Then she goes to the closet and takes out a pair of black jeans and blue sweatshirt. Backing me she starts wearing her pants and then drops the bathrobe to start putting on bra. Now I have the full view of her back. I literally can feel that my breathing is caught in my lungs.

I see that she is unable to lock the back buckle of the bra. Almost unconsciously I walk towards her. Standing just at her back I take hold of the lock of the bra from her hands. Arizona jumps out at first but once she knows that it's me, she stands still there. I slowly buckle the hook taking all my time. I see Goosebumps on her skin. Arizona stands completely in numb- I can see wet hair is pressed all over her back. I know I can do anything right now and she will not resist. But, this is not what I want. I lean a little on her ear, "this could be dangerous, you know!" I just whisper. I notice how she is gripping the knob of the closet making her knuckles white out of pressure.

I take a step back. "I thought, you knew kung-fu." I laugh and still she does not reply. I head towards the washroom satisfactorily.

"You have not said what your last name is." I ask while sipping in my coffee in the breakfast room.

"You don't need that." Arizona answers in flat.

"I don't need that, but I want to know. And why you hide your last name, I don't get it." I'm feeling little mad at her now. There are times when I don't understand her.

"Callie, I'm a private person. I like to remain in mystery." Arizona says irritated. I can sense her annoyance, although she is trying her best to put on a straight face.

"Okay, when you will go for jobs, you tell them that you will not provide your name, as you are a very private person." I cannot help but to be tempered.

"You are so smart. Giving name to a job application and giving name to a total stranger are same to you." Arizona finishes with a sarcastic tone.

"Stranger?" We have been literally staying together for last two days and I have almost told everything about me, and now she says that I'm a stranger. I feel a strong twinge somewhere deep inside me.

"Of course you are!"

"Okay, if you think, I'm a stranger even now also, then I have nothing say. Thanks Arizona." I am in fact having a hard time in controlling my steaming eyes. I swallow hard in an attempt to stop my forming tears.

"Oh, come on Callie. This guilt-trip is not going to work on me. It never did."

I turn towards her to look at her if she is serious about what she is saying to me. I find her busy in playing her favorite game Fallout on her mobile. She does not bother to look at me even once. I silently look at her emotionless face for few moments before leaning back to my seat. How come she has so much power to hurt me like this? I never have been this dependent on anybody in my life. People know me as the most independent and careless girl. I never had those feminine weaknesses. I close my eyes to forget about the conversation.

Because of the little steamy interaction earlier in the hotel room, I have assumed that maybe she has started having little feelings for me. However, after this conversation, I don't think that she has anything for me. Maybe, I'm so wrong about all these- I'm so wrong about her feelings towards me. It will take a moment for her to throw me out of her life.

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 **A/N: I'll upload the next chapter as soon as possible. Next chapter possibly will be the last chapter of the story.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Skies are crying I am watching Catching teardrops in my hands Only silence, as it's ending, like we never had a chance Do you have to, make me feel like there's nothing left of me?"

Chapter 6

While packing our bags for the flight, I ask her about her plans in Toronto. She has barely two days at hands now before she flies back to Italy. Thinking that I feel like suffocated now.

"I will see Toronto. This is what I want to do."

"I can help you in sightseeing- that is my home, you know."

"Okay, if you want. But, your work?" She asks.

"I'm not going to start teaching before next Monday. So, I have time."

"Okay, if this is what you want to." A typical Arizona remark.

The journey towards Toronto has not been that good, especially for me, as I never like air rides. We reach Toronto, when it is almost evening and check in a hotel, as Arizona does not want to stay at my place. Moreover, George might just show up at my door, as he knows when I'm coming back. This time, she insists to pay the hotel fare. I know that if I try to argue, she would just check in without me. So, it's better to let this stubborn girl do whatever she wants to do.

"So, you are the only kid of the house?" I ask while chewing a large piece of cake after the dinner.

"umm!... Yes." She is eating ice-cream. She really likes them.

"It must be little lonely, then."

"yeah… it is sometimes, especially when our neighborhood is distant. There is only one family lives near to us."

"Oh. It's sad."

"Not that sad, when the neighbor is so hot." Arizona smiles mischievously.

"Hot?"

"Yes, she is really hot...I mean…super hot and awesome hot." Arizona says with sparkling eyes.

I swallow a little hard again. Why can't I resist the kid like jealousy?

"Good…" I just manage to say this.

"And she makes awesome peach-cakes. Back home sometimes, we make cakes together." I can see that mentioning of that neighbor how Arizona has opened up so easily, since usually she is very closed in terms to giving any personal information more than I ask. Even if I ask, she would prefer to avoid them.

I have now lost all my appetite to enjoy the delicious cake I have in front of me. I bring out my mobile and try to look for something to hide the expression which might have come on my face. Addison always says how bad I am at hiding my feelings from people. I already have enough from the zoo's experience.

"Only problem is, she is straight." I hear her saying while taking a large spoon of ice-cream from the bowl.

"hah!"

"And married and have a 12 years old son." Arizona is still concentrating on the ice-cream.

Is she playing with me? I'm so angry now.

"Stop saying that she is hot. she must be 89 years older than you." I say with a pouty face.

"If she is 89 years older than me, so are you." Arizona finally looks at me and smiles really big popping both her dimples.

I don't know how to reply now. "But, you never said that I was hot."

"Well, why would I say that you were hot?"

She is right. Nobody says like this. We take our coats and head up for the room. It is already quite late. And tomorrow we have a plan to see Toronto.

On the bed, I switch off the light and slide into the sheet on my side of the bed.

Suddenly Arizona calls me quietly, "Callie?"

"Hmm!" I'm almost half-asleep.

"You are hot too."

"What?" My eyes are pop opened.

But, she does not reply anymore. Another night I'm going to have without much sleep because of this girl who is slowly taking over every single bit of me. In my whole life, I never had anybody who occupied me so quickly and so assertively like her. I literally am losing all my self-resistance not to let her taking over the last piece of my heart. This cannot be good. But, I'm almost helpless. I close my eyes in a vain attempt to sleep and not to think about her.

So, next day, we roam the major tourist spots in Toronto, such as, CN tower, Reply's sea aquarium, downtown etc. I know Toronto like the palm of my hand, so I'm not that excited, but I feel good seeing Arizona enjoying her dream city. She is happy almost with everything in Toronto. But, I want her to take another place to, which is my personal favorite.

At night, I find her sitting on the bed and flipping through a magazine which has a big article about Demi Lovato. Oh, she is the greatest fan of Demi. I have never met a fan girl before her. So, now when I see her talking about Demi with all passion, either I'm amused or I'm annoyed.

"I have a surprise for you". I sing while quickly putting my head in Arizona's lap.

She stiffs suddenly, but asks me anyway, "what's that?"

"First massage my head… I have a headache."

"Callie, I'll not do anything like this". She tries to shove my head away from her lap.

"If you don't, I won't tell you the surprise"

"Okay, don't"

I know that now she is even not going to ask and I feel little hurt that she is not even touching my hair or head.

"Okay, pouty face" she grabs my head when I try to get up.

"No, I'm good"

"Oh, I know how good you are" telling this she gently starts massaging my head.

I close my eyes out of pure bliss.

"Oh, Arizona, your hands are magical. I can keep kissing them for the rest of my life." These words only come out of my mouth without much of thoughts. I cannot open my eyes in fear of meeting hers.

But she makes it easy, "of course rest of my life, I'm not gonna do this. This is the last time you are getting this service."

"Okay, so here is the ticket for thousand islands cruise trip in Kingston."

"What?" Arizona jumps out of the bed almost dumping my head out of her lap. I heard so much about that.

"It will be total tight schedule, because from Kingston you directly have to go to Toronto airport, since you are flying from here." I sit next to her after giving this information.

Arizona suddenly hugs me warmly. "Thanks Callie...I'm really happy." She mumbles in my hair and I can feel her hot breath on my shoulder. I don't know why my whole body starts tingling out of nowhere. I gently pull myself from the most wonderful hug in my life. This will be in my memory forever.

The cruise trip has been so worthy so far. We have enjoyed passing by the cottages, having meal seating by the sea and cracking useless jokes on each other. Now the cruise is returning back to the shore. On the top deck of the cruise, when the sun starts setting, we just stand still there. The ship slowly passes by those small islands while the waves take a reddish shade beneath us. Amidst of all these, I feel how Arizona's left hand is brushing against my right from time to time leaving me in pure want and desire to hold her forever. Without much of thinking, I just hold her hand in mine- to keep this moment in my heart for forever, to never forget this, to never let it go away from me and to treasure this locked in my heart always. I feel she entangles her fingers in mine. Is she also feeling the way I'm feeling now? Does she feel how deeply I have fallen for her? I don't dare to ask her.

The redness of the setting sun has made the sky surreal. The light wind and the almost darkness of the deck is something, where I live my entire life within these few moments.

"Callie?"

As I turn towards her quickly, our faces almost collide with each other. Her face is merely an inch away from me. In this shadowy darkness, when we are in the middle of the sea, wind is blowing our hair; everything else in my life becomes a lie. I see that in her eyes too- truth what she has been trying to ignore, has been denying throughout.

I simply cup her face and stroke her cheeks gently. I lean a little, but Arizona does not resist me, rather she looks deeper in me, as if trying to understand me.

When my lips slightly brusher her lips, my throats go dry in anticipation of the feeling of kissing her. Arizona grips me with the hem of my blazer and I know that she wants me too. I can see how slightly she has opened her lips.

I slowly lean in, painfully slow... and my phone rings with the loudest way ever. Both of we jump out of each other realizing what was about to happen. I start looking for the phone in everywhere.

"It's in your back pocket." And Arizona leaves the deck.

When I finally have the courage to come down the lower deck, Arizona pretends as if nothing has happened.

"The sunset is beautiful, isn't it?"

I look out of the glasses looking at the darkness over the sea not replying her. Yes, the sunset was beautiful, but just because you were there. And it will never be as beautiful as it is today, with you.

At the airport.

"So, finally!" I huff getting inside of terminal at the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Because of the heavy traffic in the evening, I have been worried during the whole ride to the airport that she might be running late. "You should go for check in," I suggest while looking at my watch.

"Yeah, maybe I should check in now." She seems to be little down. Or is it something I want to see?

"Okay, so eat well and don't skip the breakfast otherwise your stomachache will come back." Oh, Gosh, I'm so bad at saying goodbye. I don't know what to tell her. Should I ask her phone number? But, she has never mentioned of exchanging phone numbers. I even don't know her email address or even her last name. So, once she passes the security gate, I'll probably never see her again.

"Okay, I'll check in now…" and she starts moving ahead not saying anything to me. Maybe I don't mean anything to her. I wish I could tell her how much my heart is breaking right now…in million pieces.

I call her from back, "hey!" Once she turns back, I just hug her with whatever I have. Maybe I'm hugging her too tight, but I don't care at this second. "Stay safe and make friends, okay rock-star?" I say while inhaling her hair for the very last time. The very last time, I have her soft body in my arms, the very last time I can feel that she is real, not a dream.

She laughs softly while pulling out from the hug, "thank you."

"For what?"

"For telling me that I'm rock-star." She laughs popping her dimples.

"You are."

"Callie?" She suddenly tries to say something.

"Yes!"

"Umm…nothing."

What is that what she just has resisted herself from saying? Probably I would never know.

She turns towards her cart and from her back, I just quietly say from the back, "You know where to find me."

"h..mm.." She does not make eye-contact and immediately I come to know that she will never contact me on her own.

"Okay! Bye, kiddo!"

Arizona does not reply. Instead she moves her cart and goes towards the security channel. I'm not allowed to go there. From distance, I see her checking in and while passing the gate, for one last time, she turns to me waving her hands. I'm not sure, if she wipes her eyes. Probably, I would never know. I'm standing too far. I keep standing there till the point, I don't see her anymore. Now I cannot see anything, as my both eyes are steamed. I close my eyelids so finally those tears are allowed to come out which I have been holding for ages.

I flop down to the nearest chair and watch other people bidding goodbyes to their nearest ones. But, they know that they would meet again. But, I know that I'm not going to meet this girl ever in my life, who came and turned my perfect life upside down even without knowing or doing anything consciously. I have fallen for her even without knowing anything about her. Yes, love happens in a heartbeat, but I never knew that I was destined to fall for someone who belonged to a different world and to a different time. The emptiness, I have right now, I wonder if ever I'll be able to get over. But, that is how few stories end. And my one also ends here.


	7. Chapter 7

**_This chapter is a transitional one before the next part of the story that how Callie and Arizona meet again. So, kindly bear with this chapter…_**

 _∾∾∾"_ _Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought. Useless and disappointing"_

 **Chapter 7**

"You just didn't say anything?" Addison yells at me.

"What could I say? …that hey, I have fallen in love with you?" I reply sarcastically.

After Arizona has left, my world has stopped moving. I literally have stopped going to university for last few days on an excuse that I'm not well. But, Addison knows me. So, she almost has made me telling her every little detail about my few days' 'friendship' with Arizona.

"You fool. Why didn't you take her phone number?" Addison is still yelling at me.

"She even didn't want to say her last name. During those few days, she never spilled any information about her. How could I just ask for her phone number?"

"You stupid… now get over her…she is gone!" Adi huffs and sits beside me.

"I know." My eyes are again steamed.

"You just should have told her about your feelings." Addison says softly rubbing my arms.

"Addison, I wish I could. You know, she is barely 19 years old and my feelings for her are not dating type. I want commitment and I cannot expect all these from her... and top of everything I didn't know her exact feeling about me... she was so different and difficult to understand."

"What do you think? Does she feel the same for you?"

"I don't know… there were moments when I felt that she was falling too…but…" I stop remembering our moments on the ship. I wish, I would know what she was thinking. She always had a wall around her and only very few times, I could peek inside.

"I get this…but you have to get over her."

I just sigh heavy. I don't think that I can get over her. I hope, she will contact me on her own, because this seems to be the only way now.

It's been a month and I'm tired of checking the emails every day. Like a stalker, I have been looking for her in all sorts of social Medias too. I remember, once she told me, how big she was on twitter. But, I could not find her yet. People seem not to use their real names on twitter or Facebook….

And my days are going on… waiting for her like forever. But, she has never contacted me. Gradually, nowadays, I feel that I have developed a strong anger towards her…something which I really can't describe.

 **A/N: Please…. Please forgive me for this shortest chapter, but I needed this transition before the next one. And trust me, I'll try to upload the next over the weekend.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks a ton for the wonderful response on my coming back. There will be little drama, of course along the way. So, be patient and throw your ideas about how they could be together. Till chapter 6, I knew what was going to happen, but now I'm kind of exploring the story like a newbie. So, throw your ideas and let me know what and how you want to see in this part of the plot. QUICK!**

 **violaine2707** : Hey, where have you been? Thanks for coming back…

 **Helena** : Ha ha… your little flirty reviews always make me smile… thanks… keep reading…and keep writing to me… why don't you open an account on fanfiction? See, I'm getting interested in you… ha ha…I talked about you to my girl and she said, "go to her." ha ha

 _"_ _I used to shake my head when people talked about soul mates…_

 _Then, we met, and everything changed,_

 _the cynic has become the converted, the skeptic, an ardent zealot."_

 **After four years…**

"Dr. Torres thanks for choosing us. I hope you will enjoy your teaching here." The department coordinator says in a typical French accent. I'm finding this quite cute. I always have been in love with French language, even though I don't understand a word. But, Arizona does. I remember that she told me that she took French lessons for four years in her high school. Ahh! She never seems to leave my head. Everything I do, this way or the other way, she would sneak into my mind.

I'm teaching a course at the University of Paris for a semester as a visiting professor. Personally, I was not least willing to move to France for four months, but it was the request of the dean, which I had to accept. I'm so pissed off right now. In my class, most of the students are French speakers and it's difficult to communicate to them, as I do not know French.

But, right now, my top priority is getting an English speaking TA. "So, Sylvia, when am I going to get the TA?" I ask impatiently. "I need to plan the course, you know. And I need somebody who can communicate in English and French both, so that I go easily."

"Don't worry, Dr. Torres, the new TA will come to your room at 2 in the afternoon." Sylvia informs me happily.

"But, I haven't seen the CV yet!" I cannot believe that they are kind of shoving a TA on my face even without asking me. I'm so pissed off now. Anyways, at least, now I will have a TA.

"Oh! Because the TA which we thought for you dropped the offer at the last moment and we didn't have enough time to do it in a proper way. I hope, you understand." Sylvia seems to be genuinely sorry.

"I'm trying to understand Dr. Roy." I reply in an annoying voice.

"You will like her…" before Sylvia finishes, I just reply, "okay, send her." I just start walking towards my room.

After lunch, when I start fixing the loop of my laptop under the table, I hear a soft knock on the door. That TA must have come. Good, now I have someone to fix this loop for me.

"Please come in," I shout while still bending down at the loop. When I hear the door opening, "are you the new TA?" I ask still backing the door and trying to figure out the loop.

"Yes, I'm. I'….. am…Arizona…"

And all loops from my hands just fall down on the floor, making me just to close my eyes in an attempt to realize that I'm not hallucinating or something like this. There can be other Arizona too, but the voice which my Arizona has nobody can ever have. I will know her voice even after thousands years…even from million miles distance. The sexy huskiness she has in her voice, no one can have that ever. I swallow hard and pray years after that it should be my Arizona. I have waited for nothing in my life the way I have waited on her- every single day, every minute, every second. I slowly get up and turn towards the new TA.

"Hi!" Arizona greets as if everything is okay. I can see that familiar emotionless expression on her face, but her eyes are twinkling. There is a slight smile playing in a corner of her lips. I realize, for Arizona, I'm not a surprise. She actually has come here knowing whom she is meeting to.

Instead of replying, I just look at her, taking every bit of the young lady standing in front of me. Now she has all womanly features evident in her body. Today she is wearing a skinny blue jeans and a loose t-shirt. She seems mature than last time, especially because of her hair. Now they are quite grown up. I can see those long blonde hairs going down to the hip. For next few minutes or so, I only look at her and she does the same too. Both of we are as if in a staring competition.

I had thought about meeting Arizona for many times during last four years. I could not imagine how it would be meeting her again, telling her how much I was in love with her, asking her to have a life with me. But, I have never imagined meeting this young pretty woman like this, like here in this situation, when it is least expected.

"I thought, I would never see you!" Finally I tell her slowly, almost breathlessly. And instantly I start feeling an irresistible resentment seeing her. She is the one causing all those unbearable pain in my life. I could not sleep a single night without thinking about her since she left. I didn't know anything about her, but she knew everything about me. She never bothered to contact me, not even sending me an email, not even caring enough to know more about me. She knew where I teach. It was so easy to find out me. But, as I know, she has never cared enough to send an email to me. I waited every single day that she would contact me, even if deep inside my heart, I knew that Arizona would never do that. But, I kept hoping, till I didn't become hopeless, till I didn't start hating her, till I didn't start cursing myself for falling for her.

"But, here, we are meeting again." Arizona replies locking her eyes to mine. Again those magnetic feeling are coming back. I feel that pull of like a magnet towards this girl standing in front of me, who probably never has thought about me for once.

I decide just to dive into the business talk.

"May I see your CV… Ms.?" I ask her in a stone cold voice. I even don't know where I'm coming from.

"What?" She seems to be confused. Probably she hasn't expected this business side of me. But, here I'm- I'm going to show that I'm just her professor here. That's all we can be.

"Ms.?" I look with a question.

"Arizona…. Robbins!" Arizona quietly says her name and I miss a heartbeat.

"Your CV, Ms. Robbins?… that's your surname, right?" I finish the sentence with a sarcastic tone.

"Yes." She hands over the CV to me. "Callie!"

"Dr. Torres, Ms. Robbins." I cannot resist my boiling temper. I thought I was in love, but all I can feel right now is so much of anger towards her.

"Okay…Dr. Torres." Arizona looks away from me. She has not changed that much. I know, now she also will try to behave distant. This is very typical of Arizona, she is not a pursuer.

"The office will send you an email about the TAship." I inform her while looking down at the CV. But, I'm not looking at anything now. My eyes are steamed and my head is almost pounding. I literally can see how my hands are shaking. I need a little alone time, right now to digest her presence.

"So?" I hear a confused voice.

"So, you may leave now!" I somehow manage answering her still pretending to look at her CV.

Once I hear her moving from the chair, I somehow manage looking up. I see her walking towards the door. Her back is full of messy blonde hair, which again has started driving me crazy out of want. I wish, I just could hug her one more time to feel that she is real and I'm not hallucinating. It's been so many years that I even have started forgetting how it is like hugging her and hiding my face in her hair.

I feel an urge to stop her to ask how she is doing, if still she has stomachache, if still she has nightmares, if still she likes mashed potato, pizza and fruit teas and so many things I want to ask her. But, instead, I just seat on my chair watching her leaving my room, closing the door.

 **A/N: I'll try to update whenever I can. I'm insanely busy nowadays and I even don't know how come I'm managing time to write (maybe just because I want to). But, I'll on a vacation for 6/7 weeks from late July and I don't think I will be able managing time updating then. But, I promise that I'll update whenever it is possible, even if this could be a short chapter** ** _. So, be patient. I will finish the story!_** **START THROWING YOUR IDEAS…**


	9. Chapter 9

"Maybe you shouldn't come back to me  
Tired of being so sad, tired of getting so mad, baby  
Stop right now, you'll only let me down _"_

Once I digest seeing Arizona after years as my TA, I lean back on the seat, resting my head on the back rest. I feel like suffocating. I really don't know what I'm feeling right now! I'm so confused and so mad at her.

After few minutes, I open her CV and finally start reading that for real. She is an engineering student and has really good grades so far. However, this is sort of strange that an engineering student would TA for a cultural studies course.

The girl, whom I have been searching like mad for last few years, just has walked into my life again as somebody I'm going to work with everyday. I'm not ready to do it right now. Even without thinking much I just walk towards the administrative building.

"Hi, Dr. Roy"

"How was the meeting? You are okay, right?" Sylvia asks me consciously.

"I mean, why an engineering student would TA for this course? I need somebody who knows about the content."

"She knows, Dr. Torres. She took few non credit cultural studies course…and we almost didn't have an option."

"But…" I actually don't know what I'm talking right now. Seeing Arizona has been so overwhelming that I have become little mindless now.

"And her English is really good." Sylvia is trying to convince me. I suddenly remember how proud Arizona was about her English. Within those few days also I noticed that how annoyed she used to be when people made silly mistakes in front of her. I found that extremely cute. I guess, I found everything cute about her. I huff a little on my own.

"Ena, can you please look at if we could swap with anybody?" Dr. Roy asks her assistant in an annoying voice.

"This is already swapped. Ms. Robbins was really interested to TA this course. She even gave up her full paid TAship for this half-paid course."

"What?" This is surprising information. Ena looks at me and continues, "Yes, when we circulated the advertisement for the TA of this course, she almost came running to the office. She wanted to work with you."

Arizona wanted to work with me? Within a second, I change my mind, "okay…I have no problem working with her. I just wanted to know why an engineering student is there. But, I'm okay Dr. Roy!"

"Dr. Torres, then you are coming for the social tomorrow evening, right?" Sylvia asks me from behind.

"What social?"

"There is a small gathering with the visiting professors, TAs and our own faculty in a local bar just to know each other."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Please send Ms. Robbins the TA offer."

Now all I need is to go home and have a long sleep so that I can get over the present intense feeling I have about the entire situation. I really cannot think straight right now… well, I think all my straight thoughts were vanished right away when I met Arizona Robbins four years back.

At the bar, when the mingling has started, my eyes are unconsciously searching for Arizona. What if she has decided to drop the course? Oh gosh! I guess I was too rude to her. I start panicking a little, then I see Arizona is coming with Sylvia. Immediately, I straight up my back and start talking to the next guy sitting to me.

"Here is your Prof. So, Dr. Torres, Arizona is yours now." Sylvia makes a little fun, but I see how Arizona becomes stiff at the comment. I just cannot resist but to interject, "I have been waiting for this day for years, you see!"

"Arizona, make it sure that Dr. Torres is comfortable with all." Sylvia nods at me and leaves.

Arizona does not reply but silently takes a seat beside me.

"So, what can I offer you today?" The Spanish professor asks me. Before I reply, Arizona answers, "She does not drink. Offer her a diet Pepsi."

I just raise my eye brow, oh! She remembers that I'm a fan of diet Pepsi. "No, I drink." I lie because I want to show her that things are changed over the years.

"You do?" There is a visible surprise on her face.

"Now I do." Then I turn to the bar tender, "give me martini." Then I look at Arizona with a victorious look. But, there she is- I clearly can see a small smile is playing in some corner of her eyes.

"Okay! If this is what you want." Again those typical remarks of hers. She orders Cockta, a local soft drink. I remember how she was missing Cockta while in Canada.

Once the martini comes, I take the first sip and it's so dry and bitter. I have never liked the taste of alcohol. But, I try to make a straight face and concentrate in finishing the drink. I need to go to washroom to wash the inside of my mouth. It's like drinking perfume to me.

"Excuse me…" I quickly move to the washroom. Once I feel little okay, I just stand leaning on the sink for a while. Oh! It was a bad decision to take martini. I should have taken wine instead.

"So, you really liked the taste." I look up and see on the mirror that Arizona is standing behind of me maintaining a little distance. She is smiling softly. I cannot take my eyes off.

"Are you trying to tease me?" I ask her looking on the mirror. My frustrations are so visible on my face, but I feel helpless not to able to hide them.

"Why are you trying to behave like not yourself?" Arizona asks instead taking one step towards me.

"How do you know that I'm not myself?" I can again feel my fuming frustration.

"You are not…"

I quickly turn on my heel, "things change, Ms. Robbins…"

"But, few things never change." Arizona speaks almost out of breath. "Like you are still so tempered, still so cocky, still so full of emotions and still so bad at telling a lie…just like before.. just like years back." Arizona takes one more step towards me.

I can feel how my self-resistance is breaking down like a sand wall. I can smell her scent. She used to smell good then too… those eyes, which are full of wit and humor, are locked at mine.

"I'm so grateful that you still remember me!" I give a sarcastic smile, but in reality I'm having a high time to control my steaming eyes.

"I remember everything… you know." She says so quietly that I feel that she has not spoken those words. "Everything…" I notice she is looking down.

Here, all my walls crumble down and I give up trying not to reach to her. Taking a step closer, I touch her left cheek with my right hand, "how are you?" I always wanted to know how she was. I know, I should not do this. This girl will never care about my feelings does not matter what I do, does not matter what I feel, does not matter if I break into thousands of pieces in front of her like a piece of glass.

Arizona closes her eyes, as if savoring my touch giving me enough strength to cross the personal space of hers. Then somebody opens the washroom door and both of we jump out of each other. Oh, shit!


	10. Chapter 10

"This love for you engorges  
my heart that pounds so hard  
How can I control these emotions?  
when they tear down my every guard?"

 **Chapter 10**

After the awkward bathroom incident, I immediately realize I should not have been this vulnerable in front her, especially when I know nothing is going to happen. Maybe meeting with Arizona again would give me the closure; I need to get over her. From little distance I notice Arizona is talking with another girl. I let her enjoy in her own way and I start mingling in the social to get to know other people.

After Dinner Arizona comes to me and sits beside me. She doesn't say anything and neither do I. After sometime, I notice that she has broken all the toothpicks on the table and it seems albeit unconsciously.

"Are you okay?"

"Ha? Yeah, I'm fine." That means she is not okay. Whenever she says fine that means she is not okay. Then I see she is stamping on her knees. I start laughing looking at her. She has not changed that much over the time. Of course, now she manages to talk and mingle, but those typical nervous behaviors are still there.

"Can I drop you home?" Suddenly she asks.

"What?" Oh, this is the thing for what she has been acting so weird. "I'm okay. I'll find somebody else." I try to avoid.

"Okay." She quickly gets up making me little upset. She should have asked me for one more time. However, I know her. She is she- even if she wants, she would not be able to ask me for one more time.

"Okay, drop me home." I too get up with her.

"So, not planning to find out somebody else?" She teases me. I see that my decision to go with her has made her happy. Her eyes are twinkling.

"Nah! I remember, you are at my service today." I tease her back while walking after her.

"Eh! This is the last time you are getting this service."

I stop suddenly. She has told me exactly the same thing back in Canada while messaging my head.

"What?" Arizona asks finding me stop walking abruptly.

"Nothing. Let's go." I shake my head.

While riding the car, the wind starts blowing hard. It seems that it's going to rain tonight. I always love raining and I know she does too. I lean tiredly on the seat concentrating on watching the preparation of a rainy night.

This seems surreal to me. Arizona is driving tearing the dark night while it is about to rain. There are few rain drops while the wind is blowing so hard. I look at her. How am I going to survive not having her in my life? I know, I will not find anybody else whom I can love the way I love this girl.

"Do you still hate thunderstorm?" I ask her.

"yeah!" Arizona laughs softly. Wind is making her messy hair messier. I never have known that somebody can look so adorable with this messy hair. I don't think she ever combs them. I wish, I could touch them once more. Her hair is the first thing which I liked. They are so soft, so gorgeous and so messy to trap me in them for forever.

"Dr. Torres?" When I open my eyes, I see Arizona is leaning on me. Oh! I have fallen asleep in the car.

"hmm?"

She leans more on me. "You are home."

I feel like, I'm still sleeping. I tug her loose hair behind her ear. "I know, I'm home." Then she leans up. I slowly get down from the car. Without saying anything, I start walking towards my university apartment. Once I reach to my apartment door, I hear she starts her car. I feel like I'm really at home, for the first time in years.

Next morning, as soon as I enter the class, I find that Arizona has set up the class.

"Hey, ready for the class?" She asks.

"You?" I ask her back while setting my laptop. I don't know what else to say.

While teaching the class, I notice the girl who was talking to Arizona last night is also in my class and she is making constant eye contact with Arizona, which is distracting me. Once the class is over, that girl quickly runs towards Arizona and says something on her ear. I see how big Arizona smiles.

"Hey, you are really a good lecturer." The girl comes to talk to me. Arizona is standing beside her.

"Thank you. May I know your name?"

"Neesha." Then she suddenly laces her hands with Arizona's right in front of me.

"Okay! Nice meeting you." I start walking out of the classroom.

This is going to be so annoying now. If Neesha is her girlfriend, I don't think I'm ready to handle that. I try to remember what she told me last night. But, she behaved like this years back also, which meant nothing to her. So, maybe I just should let all these go.

"We have not talked about the class yet, Dr. Torres?" Arizona asks me entering into the room.

"Have a look at the course outline and set up the emails with the students. Ask me if you have any questions?" I just reply her dryly.

"I mean, what are your expectations from me?"

"I have no expectations from you" I blurt out little loud and instantly realize this is not the answer of her question. I'm doing something else.

"I'm talking about the course." Arizona slowly states.

"Just help me communicating with the students who do not know French. That's it!" I stare at her.

Arizona lowers down her eyes. "Okay, see you tomorrow morning, then." But she turns back from the door and says, "Can I ask you something?"

The tone she has in her voice is enough to break me down. I still try to walk tall, "yes."

"Do you hate me?"

Do I hate her? I literally spent four years of my life loving her, thinking about her, wishing to meet her just once to let her know how much I am incomplete within her. Now she asks me this question. What should I tell her? Should I tell her that I wish I could hate you? My life would be so easier if I could hate Arizona. Of course, I'm mad at her, but there is no way that I hate her- not at least in this life time.

Maybe, I have been silent for a while searching for an answer. She nods and leaves my room. Soon after she leaves I start running after her because I just want to tell her that I don't hate her, never.

After walking for two minutes, I see Arizona talking with Neesha. Before I take the turn towards her, I hear, Neesha telling her, "you know that I love you, right?" I stop right then and there. "You can tell me why you are upset."

I don't want to listen anything else. I just take a step back and bang on something behind of me. Arizona immediately turns and sees me. It takes ages to come back to my room. I even don't know how I have managed coming back to my room on my own. I can feel how heavy my feet are.

Before I sit, Arizona enters after me.

"This is…"

"I'm sorry. I had no intention to overhear anything." I cut her in backing her and pretending to find something on the table.

"Neesha…I mean…she is my…"

"I get this, Ms. Robbins. You don't have to explain. " Now I turn. Even though I know I have no right to be angry on her, I cannot control my temper anymore. I feel like betrayed which I know is not true. "These are all your 'private' matters, so I don't need to know what you are doing with whom."

"Really? You are so pressed about all these, aren't you? What I told you years back…"

"What you told me years back matters nothing to me. Please don't be in the delusion about anything. Things are changed, I told you last night too."

"Okay. Good." She stares at me with piercing eyes. Her look scared me years back also, as if she could see everything hidden in my heart and brain. Suddenly she becomes very cold. "Anything else?"

"Just keep your personal stuff out of my class. I'll be grateful for that."

"I know how to keep my personal stuff away from work." Arizona's voice is becoming stone cold.

"Good for both of us."

There she leaves slamming the door behind her.

How fool I have been. She has a girlfriend and here I'm pretending as if I have any right on her to be angry. I start crying with everything I have. On this very moment, I realize that how foolishly I actually have believed that a 19 year old girl will wait for ages for me. I did. I never dated anybody after Arizona left. I spent my days thinking about her. I comprehend that I need to move on from her and move on from my past. I just need a little time.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I had to upload this chapter because of your wonderful reviews and PMs. Okay…okay… I know that I'm the best. And please ignore the typos and mistakes- I wrote it in one go, as I'm flying within next few hours or so…

 **The hooked up guest** (ha ha ): please leave your name. My kiddo always complains that how pressed I'm about names. I feel comfortable if there is a name. I'm happy that I was able to hook a reader… ha ha. So, here is your chapter, as you wanted. About Arizona's girlfriend…who knows? ;)

 **Helena** : They need to talk. But Callie's temper is blocking everything. Thanks though! How are you? I hope you are doing well.

 **Pvr1** : Thank you for liking my stories. I could not manage finishing the next chapter for 'Untold', but this is likely that I'll try to upload the next one during my vacation too.

 **AZsgirl** : well, you are right, but Callie is always Callie… it's silly, but still love.

 **violaine2707** : I guess you are happy now…

 **Other guests** : Pease leave your names. Without names, I really cannot talk to you… but always thankful for your wonderful reviews.

Until you're mine, I have to find  
A way to fill this hole inside  
I can't survive without you here by my side  
Until you're mine, not gonna be  
Even close to complete  
I won't rest until you're mine

Chapter 11

Two weeks are gone by now and I and Arizona somehow have able to maintain a work relationship.

Arizona has finished grading the first assignment and now I'm just going over the grades to see if everything is okay. While scrolling down the worksheet, I notice that Neesha has got the top grade in the first assignment. But, that Neesha girl hardly talks in the class- all she does is to eye contacts and smile towards Arizona.

"So, is everything okay?" Arizona asks me in somewhat in discomfort.

"How come Neesha's grade is so high?"

"Because she got that."

"She hardly speaks in the class!"

"But that cannot influence the grades of her written work."

"I want to see the written work." I state adamantly. I know I sound so selfish right now, as I'm actually questioning her judgment and trustworthiness as a marker.

"So, you think I was biased." Arizona asks quietly. When I look up to her from the laptop screen, I see hurt is plastered all over her face.

"I don't know- but I want to check it." I cannot help but to do it.

Arizona gets up and brings me a file from the cabinet. Without telling anything, I start reading the assignment. After reading the first two pages, now I know that Arizona actually has given her the correct grade. She has written a wonderful paper. I clear my throat and say, "okay, you can send the grades to the students."

"Are you convinced that I was not biased?" Arizona asks sarcastically.

"I'm sorry that I questioned, but I needed to know." I reply trying not to make any eye contact with her.

"Deciding to work with you was a mistake." Arizona stands up.

"That is something I really need to know," I start with a mocking tone, "for what you wanted to work with me."

"I thought…"

"You thought to have a little play, right Ms. Robbins?" I chime in.

"Do you realize how irrational you are sounding at the moment? Nothing wrong I did to you that you would say this to me?" I can see how her anger is coming out which is making me angrier.

But before Arizona replies, the new English professor peeks through the door. "Dr. Torres, so when should I pick you?" He has asked me out and I have agreed to go with him, especially because I want to concentrate on something else. It has been so hard on me seeing Arizona talking to Neesha, even if it is about the class work. Our relationship has become extremely professional. I'm kind of happy that he has come in the right moment. So now Arizona would know that I'm not waiting on her or something.

"Maybe at 6?" I reply smiling, maybe I'm smiling more than I should. Then I look at Arizona who is staring at me- surprise is evident on her face.

"Can you please finish sending the feedback to the students? I just need to go early.

"Okay." Arizona replies quietly. "So, are you leaving now?"

"Yeah." I start getting up from my chair. Suddenly, I feel to poke her little, "can you please drop me at home? I'm already running late." I sound very innocent.

"What?" She sounds totally disgusted.

"Can you please drop me home?" I repeat and wait for her reply. I'm sure she would say no now.

"Of course." Arizona suddenly perks up tearing my prediction in and out. Now, it's my turn to be socked. However, I say nothing, rather start walking towards the parking lot. At any case, I would reach home early.

Once she starts driving, I see that she has taken an off route- this is not the route I take every day.

"Is this a short cut?" I ask.

"Oh, I need to pick up something on the way, so I took this route."

After driving for 15 minutes, I notice we are not inside the site anymore. I can see wide fields.

"Are you sure that you have taken the right route? I remember how she was perked up at my office.

Out of nowhere Arizona breaks the car almost in the middle of the road.

"What the hell is this?"

"I guess, there is some problem in the engine." She says flat and gets out of the car. I also go out of the passenger seat. She open the engine bonnet and tries to check. After few minutes, I see she pulls out two red wires with all her strength.

"What are you doing?" I cannot contain my surprise.

"I'm trying to fix, but they are gone. We need to call somebody." Arizona informs me as if these are all so normal.

"Then call. Why are you standing like this?"

"I left my phone at your office." she makes a face that I cannot read but I see those eyes.

"What!" I don't have a phone either. It's been four weeks I'm here, but still I couldn't manage time on getting a SIM. "Are you trying to sabotage my date?" More than angry, I'm curious to know.

"Why would I?" She makes a plain face.

"I'm not a fool, Arizona."

"Ms. Robbins, Dr. Torres… Ms. Robbins… nobody is as much love with my surname, as you are." There is a clear tone of anger in her voice. I realize that after meeting her for the second time, I have never called her 'Arizona'.

"For you it never mattered, did it? You told me, what's in a name, isn't it?"

"You would never know what mattered to me because your _temper_ overrides everything."

"Oh, yeah, how would I know? Your _privacy_ never allowed me to know. Your mystery, your privacy and it's always about you."

"Whatever."

"I wish I could delete this word from dictionary. Every time you say whatever."

"I never say this. I just said this now."

" _Whatever_ …take me home."

"Can't you see the car is broken?"

"I have a date." I stamp my feet on the ground.

"See, Neesha told me about that Professor. He is a big time flirt and he does the same with his students too."

"Oh, did he try on your girlfriend too? And I assume that is why you are so upset?" the frustrations, I have been holding for a while is coming out now.

"Girlfriend?" Arizona turns to me taking few steps closer.

"Okay, I even don't care."

"Okay. Really you don't care?"

"No, I don't."

"Then why are you mad at me?" Arizona is dangerously coming onto me. I have never seen this assertive nature of her. Usually, she is cold and she would ignore things, but never will ask questions, not like this

"Who told you that I was mad?" I'm yelling now.

"You even didn't acknowledge me when we first met."

"Do you care what I do or not?"

"You think so?"

"I think…" But I never have time to finish the sentence as suddenly Arizona steps onto me and grabs me by my waist pulling me towards her, putting her index finger on my lips making me stop talking. She just keeps her finger on mine for few seconds not trying to do anything else and my breath is caught in my lungs for those few seconds. She slowly brushes my lips with her fingers locking her eyes on mine. I can see how her messy hairs are coming on her face. Those witty eyes can see even my souls. I can feel how her hands are gripping tighter on me making me pressed on her body.

"Just you know, I ca-re, a lot.. more than you will ever know." Arizona utters separating each of the words slowly. Then she laughs nodding her head, "but you and your temper… you cannot think anything without being angry…for 10 minutes" And I only keep looking at her, her smile, her eyes, her lips, her small nose, her eye brows. Arizona's hot breath washes over me.

Then she lets me go, releasing me from her arms.

I can live rest of my life with these feelings. At this moment, I know that nothing more I want in this life than to be with her, to surrender my entire self to her and to have her as mine and only mine.

 **A/N: This chapter is uploaded only because of the number of PMs and reviews. At least, you can be happy till the point I come back. I'm gone tomorrow- on 28 July…Bye bye- I will update if I can. Have fun, be happy wherever you are! I'll miss writing to you for sure…**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Here is the update even though I'm still vacationing. See, how much I love you all. I hope you all will love this update. Please leave your reviews, which always make me super happy.**

 **AZsgirl** : give me some ideas… I cannot wait for your con

 **McAwesome** : I hope you are still hooked up… Arizona is such a mystery. I too wish I would know about Neesha ;)

 **callietic & violaine2707**: thanks a million

 **helenkidd1** : hey miss invisible… ha ha… Arizona needs to be sent to the edge I believe.

 **Viva33** : I'm too dying to see them together. But these two people are two very different selves… it will take time.

 **TweetyGurl46** : Hi friend…how are you? I hope you are okay and happy after this chapter that Callie didn't jump into Arizona's arms yet. But, of course, she would on first instance.

 **Kendas** : Thanks for your wonderful reviews. These two are meant for each other… there will be drama and angst but they will be together for sure.

 **PVR1** : Sorry… I could not update untold yet. But, whenever I will do that, you will be happy, I promise. Thanks for liking my stories.

Stone cold  
You see me standing  
But I'm dyin' on the floor  
Stone cold  
Maybe if I don't cry  
I won't feel anymore

Chapter 12

Callie, will you go for ice cream with me?" Arizona asks me so quietly that I'm sure that she hasn't spoken those words. We are standing in the middle of a highway, where there are only wide corn fields in both sides and here she is asking for going for ice cream with her after successfully spoiling my date. However, I'm not complaining. I'm still trying to get over what has just happened few minutes back. Just as if seconds ago, she was on me, snaking around my waist tightly, washing over me with her hot breath, and now suddenly she is asking me for ice cream. I'm so dazzled right now.

"Callie?" She asks me again.

"I think I asked you to call me Dr. Torres!" I make a poker face but for sure that I'm unable to hide my big smile.

"That Dr. title is at all not sexy." Arizona smiles.

"So, you wanna call me with a sexy name?"

"Just something, which gives me the feeling that you are you." She replies in a soft voice with all honesty.

"So, are we going for ice cream, now?" I ask her.

Before she answers, I hear a phone is ringing somewhere. Instantly I realize that the sound is coming from the car. I run towards the car and see a phone is blinking from the back seat.

"Ari….zona? your phone is here." I start yelling.

"Oh! Is it?" She makes a very innocent face, but does not make any eye contact. Okay, I'm right. She actually sabotaged my date.

"So, you didn't want me to go out with him?"

"No- if this is the answer you are looking for. But, I was just trying to repay the things you did for me when I was in your country."

"What repay?" Now I'm confused.

"I was so new, but you helped me in every way. So, now when I have a chance to help you, I was just protecting you."

"So, that's all?" I'm certainly not ready for this answer.

"Yes. What else it could be?"

I'm again annoyed. She is not telling what she wants to say. I'm tired of being the object of her mood swing. I'm sure this is not the only answer. But, enough is enough. If she has any feelings for me, she has to tell this to me. And she even has not clarified about Neesha too.

"So, what about Neesha?"

"A very special friend." She replies while looking at the phone.

I'm not sure whether I should ask the right question or not. In Canada, we never ask direct questions- we are kind of too polite! And here this girl is also not clarifying the air.

"hmm… good. You seem to be happy with her." I try to dig out a little.

"Yes, she makes me happy. We share almost everything."

"Almost everything?"

"Yes…there are so much similarities between us." She makes a flat face.

Oh, this conversation is not going anywhere.

"You stay alone?" This question might lead me what I want to know.

"So far, but Neesha is moving in with me. So, now I'll not be alone anymore." Arizona looks up from the phone.

"Take me home." I say in a stern voice. This has been enough. I don't get her. She is so difficult to talk and she would never give the right answer.

"Anything else you want to know?"

"I already have enough."

"If someone cannot get the sarcasm, then this is not the other person's fault, you know."

"Arizona… I'm not your play thing. I think you feel so good that you have such a hold on me, even though we have nothing in between us. Isn't it? But, you are taking things too granted." I tell her disgusted.

"You are being dramatic without any reason." Arizona comes close to me. But I back off.

"Don't try to come near to me." I yell at her. It has become so impossible for me to control my raising temper now.

"You are so dramatic, you know? We can never be friends because of your this nature." Arizona smiles with a sarcastic tone.

"This nature?"

"Yes. You are loud, dramatic and pushy."

"Can you please call a cab, so that I can go home?" I almost shout at her.

Instead of answering me, she starts calling a cab. After the call, she sits on the bonnet putting the earphones on. I don't think that I will ever understand this girl. Sometimes, she behaves as if I mean something to her and moments later she pushes me away as if I'm good for nothing. All my self esteem is falling like a sand wall, as if they were never there.

I have been waiting for Arizona to have some discussion about the class assignment, but she is late, which is very unlikely of her. When I'm about to make a call to her, my phone rings.

"Hi, this is Rosa from faculty office."

"Yes!"

"Dr. Torres, can you please come to the faculty office for few minutes? We need to discuss something."

I'm not sure why they are calling me. But I enter into the office and find Arizona standing with a patch of ice-bag on her left eye and next to her another student is standing with bleeding nose. Did she fight with him? I can sense why I'm being called. I quickly reach to Arizona and take the ice bag from her only to find a total black eye, which has started swollen now.

"You did this?" I look at the other student. He does not answer. "How dare you to touch her?" I take a step forward to him, but Arizona pulls me holding my wrist.

"Dr. Torres, Ms. Robbins first hit my TA." A senior woman stands up from a chair. "Hi, I'm Professor Eva."

"Arizona, did you hit him first? Why?" I look at her with surprise. I cannot imagine that she really has done that.

"We have been asking both of them about that, but they are not answering." Rosa informs me.

"Then, we just can stop talking about this. Since they are not willing to talk about this matter, it is their personal affair." Professor Eva tries to close the case.

"If they were only students, we could have done that easily, but they are TAing. Technically they are our employees, so we cannot tolerate this type of behavior from them."

Now I start panicking a bit. This case has to be closed here. Otherwise, if this goes into Arizona's file, she has to carry this always if she decides to go to grad school. "Rosa, can Professor Eva and I handle the matter? They are still young and since they are not lodging complaint against each other, I don't think we should drag the matter." I request.

Professor Eva also nods her head in agreement.

"So, what happened?" I ask Arizona angrily while closing the door.

"Nothing." She is still dabbing the ice bag on her eye. I take the ice bag from her. Seeing her eye, I feel like killing that stupid boy. How could he punch like this?

"Let me see." And I take her face in my hands to check the eye, but instantly I notice how Arizona's eyes have started shifting between my eyes and lips. I feel like I have no ability to get rid of this intense feeling, for which I can give up everything I have, every little thing I have earned so far. I just need to know her exact feelings about me. I don't have enough strength to bear if she just leaves me half way. I'll not survive, I know.

"What happened with that boy? I ask breaking the contact and dabbing the ice bag on her eyes.

"Nothing, I told." She replies plain.

"Arizona, I need to know." I have to talk about this with Professor Eva. She is a powerful Prof. here. If she is angry at Arizona, that would not be a good thing for her.

"Everything… you don't need to know." She gets up.

There she is. I have been so right about her. "What?" I cannot hide my disappointment.

"I don't think you need to know all my private affairs."

"Okay." I even don't feel like replying her. I have three more months to go before I leave Paris. Maybe, I have met her again, so that I realize how we are not good for each other.

After she leaves, I go to Professor Eva's room. The TA is still there. Before I say anything, the TA starts, "I'm sorry, Dr. Torres. I never meant anything. I was just joking."

"What?" I ask in confusion. I don't get why suddenly he is apologizing to me.

Professor Eva cuts in, "Tory, you may go. I will see you later."

Once Tory is gone, Eva continues, "Tory said, you were sexy." Eva starts laughing.

"Hah!"

"Yes and your TA was so protective about you that she punched on his nose." She cannot stop laughing.

Being teachers at university, these comments are so common to me. Since I teach adult students, we have these experiences. I get why Eva is laughing so hard. But, more than anything, I find it so good that Arizona could not tolerate that somebody found me sexy.

"It's okay." I say while smiling really big. I cannot tell, how happy I'm feeling.

"And she warned him that if he ever looked at you, she would break his legs."

Both of we start laughing.

I don't understand this girl. She would sabotage my date, but would not accept her feelings for me- she would beat other people for me but would not say this to me. I don't know where we are leading towards.

A/N: I'm still on vacation but somehow have managed to write this chapter today. But again I would like to apologize that at this point updates would be super slow as school is gonna start from September, right after I return from my holidays.


	13. Chapter 13

Before I fall too fast  
Kiss me quick but make it last  
So I can see how badly this will hurt me when you say goodbye

Arizona has not come for the lecture today as the doctor has asked her to take rest at least for next three days. It's just one morning that I have not seen her and already I'm as if going to have a panic attack. Since the class is over, I'm kind of free rest of the day. Right now I'm thinking about the pros and cons of visiting Arizona. I know that seeing me she will make a plain face and will tell me, "you do not need to come". Ehhh! I just cannot tolerate those plain expressions, however, I think, I equally love seeing her twinkling eyes behind that flat expressions. While thinking about all these I enter into my room.

"Hi, Dr. Torres." Neesha already is waiting for me.

"How can I help you?" I ask her while taking my seat opposite to.

"I'll be out of town for a week and we have an assignment due in that week. So, if I could submit this a week later."

"Please write an email to Ms. Robbins. She will take care of this."

I look at her with questioning eyes if she has anything else to ask.

"Thank you. And I have heard so much about Canada from Arizona...now you are from Canada too..."

This is a new piece of information which certainly interests me. Okay, let's dig a little about Arizona's trip to Canada.

"Oh, Arizona has been to Canada too?" I smile big while asking this innocent question.

"You don't know?"

"Not until now".

Arizona suddenly chimes in, "Neesha?"

"Hey, why are you here?" I ask in surprised but of course so happy seeing her. I quickly round the table and go near to her. "Are you feeling okay?" I ask holding her shoulders and instantly realize that Neesha is also there. I slowly pull back my hands but Arizona catches it halfway and holds it, which of course I start enjoying. The little touch from her is like electrifying- I can hold her hand like rest of my life.

"I was just missing yo… I mean classes." She lets go off my hand while putting her hands in her pocket.

"Classes…hah?" I cannot hide my smile even though I'm trying hard.

"I mean… okay… so, do you need something Neesha?" Arizona quickly changes the topic. I smile again and go back to my chair.

"I'm okay. We are talking about your Canada trip." Neesha replies smilingly.

Now I see Arizona's reaction. She is about to choke, "what?"

"She doesn't know that you went to Canada."

"Neesha, you have a class now. I guess, you are getting late." Arizona says in hurry and I'm actually enjoying this new scene.

"We still have time," Neesha replies after checking the watch and then again starts talking to me. "Arizona always talks about Canada and a woman she had met there..."

"Neesha!" Arizona almost yells, "this is very personal."

"I'm sorry... I thought since Dr. Torres is from Canada too, she may help you to find that woman you always talk about."

"A woman?" I cannot help but ask.

"She met her in Canada and since then she is…" Arizona does not let Neesha finish as she almost screams, "Neesha… just stop it…you are saying too much." Arizona's face is red like a tomato. I can see her high breath.

"Canada is a huge place. I don't think that I would know somebody whom Arizona met 4 years back." I say quietly.

"I'm sorry, Ari. Let's go. Thanks Dr. To..." Neesha does not complete the sentence. Rather she asks, "how do you know that she met that woman 4 years back."

Now I'm stuck. I never have realized how that information has just slipped out of me. "Umm..."

"You said that Neesha." Arizona tries to cover me up with a disgusted tone.

"Yeah...you told me." I support Arizona.

"Did I?" Neesha is little confused now.

Once both of them leave, I start thinking about what Neesha just has said. So, Arizona has been talking about me to Neesha. Now my heart says what I want to believe in, on the other hand, sometimes her behavior confuses me a lot. Maybe I just need to wait when she is ready- she is ready to accept her feelings for me-she is ready to give me a chance to make her the happiest girl on earth. I know that _nobody, none_ in this whole world can love her as much as I love her.

I wake up from my lazy evening sleep with the annoying sound of phone. I have taken a local number after Arizona's little show over my date with the English Professor.

"Yes." I don't try to hide my annoyance.

"Happy birthday." A very chirpy Addison yells on my ear.

"Still 5 hours to go." I reply checking out the wall clock.

"In Canada, you already are born." Adi laughs.

"Not in France- it's still 5 hour to go for my birthday. But, thanks."

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow? Rooting for any birthday sex?" She teases me.

"Ughhh! Stop Adi." I too start laughing.

"Did you propose Arizona?"

"Propose?"

"I'm asking when are you going to propose her?" Adi sounds to be quite serious now.

"Adi, I didn't go on a date with her yet and you are asking to propose her?"

"See, you love her and she loves you. So, those dating things don't work for you."

"How do you know that she loves me?"

"The things you have been telling about Arizona to me, if those are true, she is in love with you. You know that too."

"Adi, I don't know. She has to tell me on my face." I feel agitated but before we go on with the conversation, someone knocks at my door.

"Adi, I will call you later. There is someone."

"Someone?"

"Goodnight and thanks for the wish." I drop the phone while walking towards the door. God knows who has come to disturb me at this hour of evening. As I open my door, I find a very nervous Arizona standing there. But, from her body motion, I notice as if she is about to turn and leave.

"Are you leaving?" I quickly say.

"Umm…I thought you might not be at home." She says while facing me.

"I was on phone." I don't get why she is at my door at the hour of evening. "Do you need something?"

"Let's go for ice cream." Arizona blurts out. "Remember, I asked you other day?" She nervously adds.

"I didn't say yes, I remember." I smirk and I know how smug I look right now but if Arizona is standing at my door asking me for ice cream, then I have a reason to feel good.

"Okay." Arizona starts turning to leave.

Oh gosh, this girl would never change. I even don't have time to play with her. "I didn't say no too." Now she again turns and smiles lightly, "so, dress up then."

On the top deck, right now it's like a déjàvo. Again, Arizona, now a grown up and mature girl is standing beside me. The moon has a wonderful reflection on the waves and only we two are standing on the deck. I feel like what I have felt years back on the cruise of thousands islands. It's so scary. I cannot do it again. I feel slowly she holds my left hand with her right and laces her fingers with mine. These electrifying feelings, I never had with anybody. I quickly turn to leave unlacing our fingers, unexpectedly Arizona stops me griping my wrist and pulls me towards her. Now I have no reason to stop

This is the moment, when I'm pressed against her, reminds me how much I have been craving for her. I'm literally on fire that every fiber of my body can feel her. There is no going back now. I cup Arizona's face with both of my hands and instantly I feel how nervous I'm and she is too. I look at her eyes in search of any disapproval, but all I see is the same insane eagerness to taste each other. I gently press my lips on hers. Immediately she loops her hands around my neck pressing her lips little more on mine. This is a type of kiss when you end up giving yourself completely to the other person. This is the gentlest kiss I have ever had in my life but the one which tells me if I don't get to do this every day of my life, this is not worthy to live. It's not worthy to live without Arizona who has submitted herself completely, today. As she pulls up a little, I end our kiss while nibbling her bottom lip just a little and breathe out almost unconsciously, "I love you..." Arizona instantly bolts out, "what did you say?" she is still snaking around my neck. There is no going back for me. I even don't want to. I go a little closer to her holding her waist tightly. "I said..." I give a quick peck on her lips, "I love you". Another kiss. Unexpectedly Arizona quietly removes herself from me. "You don't love me." she sighs. "What?" I'm so perplexed seeing her this plain expression. She may not love me but the way she has been behaving so far, I know she has feelings for me. "I fell for you four years back and now you are telling me that I don't love you?" "You have only loved the idea of me." Arizona moves a little far, as if gathering enough strength to tell me all these. "You have known me only few days and that is not enough to fall in love. You only love the idea of me." "Arizona, why did you kiss me?" I take a step forward to see her eyes which are twinkling in this shadowy darkness too. "Kissing and loving are not same." I quickly cross the next two steps to grab her face and on an instant I pull her into a heated kiss. Instead of resisting me, she entangles her fingers in my hair while deepening the kiss. Getting encouragement I invest my whole self in this moment. After few seconds I break the most insane moment of my or our lives. "Kissing and loving are not same- true but what is happening right now, this is nothing but love." I say in a cold tone while stepping backward. Arizona remains quite. "What are you so afraid of?" "I'm not afraid of," she replies looking at the water, then she backs me holding the rail of the deck. "Arizona, I'm madly in love with you. I know you are very young and maybe not ready for any commitment but I'm here. I'm here to see how the life would look to be with you." Not getting any reply from her I go near to her. I take one step closer and hug her from her back. Instantly I feel that her body relaxes against mine. This seems so regular and normal right now as if I always have hugged her like this. "Callie?" "Hmmm" "You are vibrant, energetic but not my type. I'm sorry." I slowly unlocks my hands to let her go from the hug. There is nothing that I could do right now. If she loves me, she would tell me this by herself. Otherwise, I'll just leave France after my tenure. "Arizona, I really don't understand your this strange behavior but enough is enough." I turn to leave the deck leaving her behind. Suddenly she grabs my wrist making me stop, "but I'm insanely attracted to you." I think, in this moment my heart stops beating for couple of seconds. Maybe I should keep quiet for the time being. She starts again but her eyes remains on our laced hands, "I don't know if we could be anything together. You are so tempered and I'm so opinionated. We will be so bad together, aren't we?" I feel so confused right now. What is she asking me to do? "So, you are attracted to me but not in love, is this you are trying to say?" "Yes. I even like your madness and kiddish behavior but those sometimes piss me off too." Then she looks up. "Date me." "Date?" "But no commitment from either of us." "So, we can date other people too?" "You want to date other people?" Now out of nowhere I see a slight hit of jealousy. This absolutely intolerable now. I cannot let it happen. "No." I get rid of her grip and take a step back. "What no?" "I don't want to date you." it takes all my strength to utter these few words. "But, you just have said that you love me." "I do. I do love you... A lot. But, I cannot play this 'no commitment' dates with you- with the girl I want commitment." "I cannot give you that." Arizona says in a cold voice. "Arizona, now listen to me. If you love me, you will tell me that. AND I want commitment. Otherwise, don't try to make things critical. As long as I'm here we will have that professional relationship and we will not interfere in to each other's lives." Arizona keeps quite. I come down from the deck on a windy road to walk towards home. I have always believed that if you really want something with every beat of your heart, it will happen but if it does not happen then it is not meant for you.

 **A/N: folks, something is going to happen in next chapter. I will try to upload quickly, if I can. By the way, let me know if you have any ideas about their being together, or any plot twist.**


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hey, friends, I am sooooooo sorry for being soooo late in updating. I have been entangled in my own demanding academic and personal life. I hope you are still with me. I would appreciate if few of you let me know what you want Callie to do.

Thanks to all of you…

"Maybe you'll call me someday  
Hear the operator say the numbers no good  
And that  
She had a world of chances for you  
She had a world of chances for you  
She had a world of chances  
Chances you were burning through"

"Hey…Calliope?" As she runs after me, I halt myself little at shock that she knows my full name. I never use them anywhere, except in my certification papers. "Calliope", Arizona says it again. She is little breathless due to her short run after me. "Let me drop you at home."

I start walking, "how do you know my full name?"

"I just know." Arizona shrugs in an all knowing way. I simply like when she does this. She would make a wise face and will give 'not a big deal look.'

The car ride to home has been quite as I am the one, who keeps talking always and tonight I am not talking or bringing any conversation. I am tired with this little back and forth thing by now. There is a patience limit in love too. It's like a lemon- if you squeeze it too much, it becomes bitter. I just don't want to end anything as bitter.

Once she stops in front my apartment, I come out of the car in silence.

"Calliope?" Again she calls from back. This is the 3rd time, this name rolls down of her mouth and I find it irresistibly sexy. Oh! Why she has to do that to me? I am becoming a play thing in her hands.

"Hmm…?" I turn to her slowly putting an indifferent look on my face.

"Happy Birthday…" Arizona smiles a little, albeit uncomfortably.

"How do you know it and don't give your typical 'I know it' answer, okay?" I am truly surprised now.

"Ha…ha… okay… under the work-study program, I work in the faculty data entry office few hours a week. I had a chance to look at your information then."

"Isn't it creepy though?" So, this is how she now knows my full name too.

"I mean, maybe a little, but the file was just there. It's not that I was looking into your file specifically." Arizona looks at somewhere else but me.

"Okay, thanks. So, that's all?"

"umm… unless, you are willing to accept my offer."

My blood starts boiling out of anger now. "Look out for a teenage fuck-buddy, not me. I'm too much for you to handle." Saying this as start turning on my heels.

"Come on Dr. Torres, I thought you had a thing for teenage girls!"

"What?" I can sense the extreme mockery in her tone.

"I thought that you had a thing for a quirky and witty teenager…" She laughs and continues, "grow up Professor… and I don't need someone 10 years older than me to sleep with if that is the only thing, I wanted to do."

"Arizona, stop overestimating yourself that much. You know what? I am stopping pursuing you now…like right now." Saying this I just start walking towards my apartment.

I enter into my flat not knowing what to do, but I really need to talk to somebody who would understand me. As I start locking the door, my phone starts buzzing.

"Hello"

"Happy birthday, baby girl". My mom has called me. Nothing more I would love rather than talking to my mom.

"Thank you, ma." I feel my eyes are steaming. "Thank you so much for calling. I need to talk to you."

"Are you okay?" Mom asks in a concerned voice.

"Nothing is okay." I choke a little while trying to control my emotions.

"Would you like to talk about this?" Mom asks softly.

"umm…" I hesitate a little, "do you remember that girl, whom I had met four years back?"

Now it's mom's turn to hesitate. She quietly replies, "what happened?"

"I have met her again here in France. She is my TA."

"hmm!"

"Ma?"

"I'm listening Calliope."

I start telling her from the beginning except the kissing part in the evening. Once I'm done, I find her silent.

"Ma, what do you think?"

"What do YOU think? That is the most important thing." Mom says in a soft tone.

"I don't understand her." I'm just too frustrated right now.

"Maybe, you should try that first."

"Try what, first?"

"Try to understand her. Calliope, you always have been very restless and impatient. You want things to happen right away, as you want. But, everything does not happen as you want them to happen."

"Ma, I don't understand. What are you asking me to do?"

"First tell me, do you want a life with her?"

"Nothing more I want than to be with her..."

"Good. But, she is too young, you know, you two almost have 10 years of age difference."

"I know about that."

"Then be ready to babysit a lot."

"What?" I almost scream.

"Yes." Mom chuckles a bit and continues, "See, if you don't understand her, then first try to understand her. She might have her own reasons for this behavior. You have met her after years and you want a relationship right away. She is not ready, yet. You have to give her time to process you and your emotions. I think, she is afraid of commitment and this is the reason that she is backing off."

"ummm."

"Callie, you have to be patient with her, with her age and with her mood swings too, if you really want anything with her. This is where the babysit comes in". Mom laughs again.

"But, ma she wants to date without any commitment."

"I think dating starts without any commitment, isn't it? I know that you want commitment, but you can't ask her to commit herself even before knowing you."

"So, you want me to date her like that?"

"I am not asking to do anything. I am just asking to give yourself a chance to know her more and give her the opportunity to see herself with you in the long run."

"Ma, maybe, I need to think about this."

"You should. Or maybe she is not worthy of what you feel for her. Sometimes, it is important to let things go away and not pursue which is not meant for us." She takes a little pause and continues, "and I think, you should open up yourself other people too. This girl is not the end of everything."

"Ma…I don't think that I can do that ever." My eyes are steamed again at the thought of living a life not with her.

"Calliope, just give yourself a chance to be loved again." Mom always uses my full name, when she suggests something that I should do. "You have already spent much of yourself after that girl."

"Maybe… I don't know."

"Umm…tell me, what is that one thing which you like most about this girl?"

"I don't know… she is awkward and very arrogant…but I like everything about her. It's never about her outlook. It's about her- the all of her…"

"Can you just try for once with others? and you should think about your commitment to your dad too."

"Oh, ma. Don't remind me that. THAT silly commitment, which I never want to do, even if I don't get Arizona. I hate that silly George. He has been after me for last few years. AND I'm not interested in dad's business… I love teaching."

"I know what you mean, but we need someone to look after the family business." She suddenly becomes more serious, "but, I worry about you that you might end up hurting yourself."

"Ma, I will be okay. I didn't ask you, how you are!" I feel little guilty.

"Not that well…I have a little chest pain since last week."

"Maaaaa! Why aren't you seeing a doctor?" I yell.

"I have taken appointment after two days. Don't worry. I will be okay."

"Ma, just let me know if anything is serious."

"Of course."

"Promise?"

"promise. And you need to know that George has been travelling in Europe for business meetings."

"O gosh, ma! He is just gonna end up at my door, for sure." I feel so annoyed at the thought of meeting that silly man again, here in France. I don't know why dad likes him so much. Maybe because he is loyal and my dad is a fan of loyalty. This makes me to worry how my dad would react if he ever gets to meet Arizona, as I know how wild Arizona is, sometimes. She is never gonna abide by his rules. Anyways, I can think about that later.


	15. Chapter 15

_"_ _You pull my strings and push my soul_

 _You fool my heart with every note_

 _You drop a beat and kiss my face_

 _You make me move then cut the base"_

I really had a roller coaster day today. Right now all I want is to crash into bed. But, Just then my front door bell rings… I open the door only to find a cake is sitting on the front porch. Is that Arizona? Leaving the porch on the front door, I start running towards the entrance of the building. As I am about to reach the front gate, suddenly a pair of strong hands hugs me from back. "Happy Birthday, sweetheart." George whispers in my ear. Once I turn, he pulls me in a tender kiss and almost unconsciously I respond to that kiss, but just for few seconds. I quickly pull back, "Please …no."

"But, didn't you like that?" George makes a naughty face. "You used to enjoy these…"

His question makes me realize that I actually have not felt that bad while kissing him, but it just did not feel right.

"George, can we just stop doing this?"

"Okay, aren't you going to call me inside too?"

"You have a hotel, I believe. Why are you here, by the way?" I am super annoyed and I know that it is my dad's plan.

"Yes, I do have. I came here because Mr. Carlos wanted me to visit you when I am touring Europe to meet few potential business partners."

"Thank you for popping by." Saying this as I try to turn, suddenly I notice Arizona's red car. Oh, no, she was here. Nothing could be worse than this.

"George, thank you for coming by. But, I have class in the morning, so please... I will talk to you over phone. We may meet for coffee, maybe." I try to grovel a bit so that he leaves early.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Okay. By the way, why were running like this?"

This guy will never stop annoying me. Now I don't want to mention that cake thing, he definitely wants this to come up. "Goodnight."

"Can you eat the cake all by yourself?" George smiles sheepishly.

I wait till the point George leaves. Slowly I start walking towards the red car and find Arizona sitting on the car stamping on her knees with her fingers. I know her this nature. Either she is nervous or angry.

"Hey, are you still here?" "So, you kissed him…." "George?" "Hmm… so, he is the great Gorge? Which one was better? Mine or his?" Arizona laughs sarcastically. "Means?" "Whose kiss did you enjoy most?" Arizona asks looking at the sky. "Arizona?" "Thank God that I didn't ask for commitment. And you are the one that was dying for a commitment." My temper starts boiling like anything now. I start thinking a tough answer, but out of nowhere, my mom's advice pops in my head. Now, I can ruin everything or try to rebuild everything. I slowly go near to the bonnet where she is sitting on. Keeping my hands on her knees I lift myself on my toes to reach her lips. Instead of backing off, she leans a little and I just catch her lips in mine. This is maybe the gentlest kiss I ever had had in my life. I pull back a little after a while and hug her softly. She hesitates a little, but then gently responds in the hug wrapping me softly while resting her chin on the top of my head. She starts combing my hair with her fingers. Nothing in this world could be nicer than this moment and nothing could be warmer more than to be in her arms like this. We stay like this for few minutes, while I listen to her heartbeats. I feel so good having her soft body pressed against me like this. I don't know what is happening right now. It seems so right- nothing I want more than to be in her arms like this…forever. I know she is _it_ , she is the one, with whom I want to see the world, I want to see the sunrise, I want to go for kayaking, I want to explore the mountains and I want to come back to her only- she is my HOME. "Arizona, the kiss with him was a good kiss…but I don't want to kiss him." "So… ?" "Let's start from beginning." "Beginning…?" I feel Arizona locks her hands tightly around me. I straight up myself unlocking her hands. "Yes, from the beginning. I want to know you and I want you to know me." "Why this sudden change?" Arizona smiles goofily. I laugh. "Now come in…I have a big cake which needs to be eaten" I pull her down gripping her wrists. "Ohh yeah…Happy birthday, Dr. Calliope Torres. Is it red velvet though? I know that you like only red velvet or vanilla… " Arizona says while jumping down from the car. "Is it? Who told you?!" "You told me… remember when we were having cake in that big hotel?" She tries to remind me. "When? I don't remember," I push a little although I exactly know what she is referring to. "Because you talk so much so that you don't remember everything." "Stop pissing me off." Saying this I start walking. "Eh! You are pissed off at everything." she starts walking by my side and holds my hand softly. "By the way, you are in you pjs." Arizona starts giggling. This giggling is a rare sight of Arizona. "STOP laughing… ah! One thing, I told you something years back and you remember that?" I stop walking and turn towards her. Arizona does not make any eye contact, "not that always, I remember. I just suddenly remember. Not a big deal." She waves her hands in the air. "So, you came in the evening because of my birthday?" "Callie, don't dramatize everything. Okay?" I see that annoyance in her tone. This is the Arizona, I know, who would be upset if she is unable to hide her feelings. I decide not to push her anymore. Maybe, mom is right that I need to try to understand her. "So, how old are you, now?" She asks me while walking towards my building. "34." "You are an oldie." Arizona giggles a bit. "Yes, so be respectful to me…ki.." I restrain myself from saying kiddo, which I used to call her. I say or I don't say, she will always be my kiddo. Arizona quickly shots her head towards my direction- she also has noticed how I have stopped myself from saying that word. "You are just older than me, not an elder." She rolls her eyes. By this time, we are the entrance of my building. I again hold her hand to step up, "for you, I am both, elder as well as older." "Whatever. Let's cut that stupid cake!" She says. "How do you know that there is a cake?" "I saw your stupid boyfriend bringing that cake. He went up and came back quickly and he started doing something on his phone but before that you came running like those heroines in Asian movies… AND fell in his arms. It was a nice view though!" Arizona says mockingly. "He is not my boyfriend." I reply sternly. "But, aren't you going to marry him?" I can sense her annoyance. "Who told you?" "Please Callie. STOP doing this. It's all over the news that how much Carlos Torres is eager to have Gorge as his son in law with his eldest daughter." "Why did you research about me….so much?" "Research? I just did a little googling…Ms. Torres. AND aren't I right?" "No." I say quietly. I know that it's almost in all over the places that how dad wants me to marry Gorge. "It does not matter." "Then why are you talking about this?" "You asked me, what am I scared of? I am scared of this. That you will just leave everything to set off a new life, not remembering…" Arizona pauses. I can see all her insecurities are coming out. I slowly go near to her and remove her bangs from her forehead and tuck them behind her ears. At this moment, all I want is to say that how much I really love her and am not going to leave her for anything in my life. She is everything for me. I will not remember anything except her. Instead I end up saying, "Arizona, let's go inside." "It's too late." I see her hesitating. "Then why did you stay after dropping me off." "I don't know… to be honest. I should have not, I guess." Arizona says as if she is talking more to herself. I don't know what has happened to me, but I know that I want her to stay with me, tonight and if possible rest of the nights of my life too. "Arizona, stay tonight." She quickly looks up, "what?" "Stay with me." I give my best smile to her and somehow I know that she is not going to say no. "Well…" Arizona slowly gives me a full smile, "only if you could control yourself." "I did control myself four years back, cannot promise about this time when I have a full woman in front of me, instead of teen." I wink at her at the end of the sentence. "Aha…so… ? She gives me another smile, while leaning on me. "So, come inside and…" I stop her leaning body with my both hand… "I need someone to cut the cake." I like this playfulness with her. does not matter, how much fight we have, we will end up together as old buddies, poking each other, teaching each other and now kissing each other. We step into the building holding hands like some old buddies. Maybe, I need to take a step back to step together with her.


	16. Chapter 16

_"Shut up and love me_

 _'Cause you've already got me_

 _I don't need words_

 _I need time in your arms_

 _I need love from you, baby"_

 **Chapter 16**

"Do you still kick?" I ask with a soft chuckle remembering how hard she kicked me in that hotel room.

"hmm…maybe…I don't know." Arizona makes a baby face.

"Didn't you kick any of your girlfriends?" After asking this question, I pat my back that this question will answer my question about Neesha too.

Now Arizona rolls her eyes, "smart move, Professor!"

"What?" I try to behave the most innocent.

"What if I never loved anyone?" Arizona softly says.

"So…ummm Neesha?" I cannot help but to ask.

"I don't know…" She is clearly annoyed now.

I nod my head in negative, "I was just curious." Arizona has not clarified the point about Neesha.

"Okay smart Alec, let's have that cake..."

"You came inside only for the cake, didn't you?" I laugh while unpacking the cake.

"Of course, I only want to eat the cake." She finishes the sentence giving little emphasis on the cake, however, as I look up, she quickly changes her eye direction.

"Okay, you cut the cake… you are kid enough to cut cakes."

"Meh". She makes a face.

"What…meh! You really look like a 16 year."

"No…I am not…"

"Yes…you totally are…" I start poking in her stomach, "see… you are a baby."

"Stop it Callie…" Arizona grabs my hands and twist them backward, "say…sorry…"

"Sorry…ah…" She puts little more pressure on my hand and pins me on the Fridge facing the fridge, "don't break my hands… they are important…you know…without them…!" I keep teasing her. Suddenly, I feel the release of the hand and instead her lips her on my bare shoulders. She tresses passionate open mouth kisses on my shoulder trailing to the neck. Immediately my body reacts, I cannot breathe… "Arizona…"

I turn towards her and she crashes her lips on mine. The kiss is not gentle, rather this is full of force, passion and love. I start backing her while we still are kissing each other.

Once her knees touch to my large bed, she twirls me and push me so that I sit on the bed. Arizona straddles me and starts nipping my neck. I slowly push my hands inside her black tee and gently start exploring the softest skin, I have ever touched. I can sense how she is having goosebumps under my touch. Arizona reach to my earlobe and just gives a small bite making me whimper under her.

"So, this is your spot?" She whispers like a winner. I do not have ability to answer anything now. instead, I push my hand upward to explore more, instead she pushes me down making me laying on my back. I see how slowly she pulls up her tee revealing her bare self. I cannot stop looking at her. For so many nights, I have imagined to have her like this.

"Calliope…" Before she could finish her saying, I pull her in a deep kiss and push her on the bed so that I can stay top of her. Now I start putting feather like kisses on her bare shoulders. She writhes under me, "Callie…"

"Umm…" I pin both her hand on either sides of her.

Then out of nowhere, her phone starts buzzing, both of us pull out of each other suddenly. Arizona adjusts her tee, as I release her.

"Hello?" Arizona is till little out of breath. "Neesha…I'm… I mean… I'm on the way…"

She gets up from the bed and start looking for her jacket. I am totally dumfounded. What is she doing?

"Are you leaving?" I don't believe that she is leaving now.

"I need to go..." She scratches her head.

"Now you want me to believe that you and Neesha are not together?" I ask her in a stern voice.

Arizona grabs her jacket and once she reaches to the door, then turns, "Neesha is my only best friend Callie. My parents never took care of me. It was Neesha, who was always there…when I was all alone, when I needed to be taken care of…"

"So…?"

"She loves me and I never could say her that I don't."

"What? Then why did you ask me earlier to date you?" I feeling like being cheated all the way.

"Because I simply cannot control myself, when you are there… why don't you just leave?" She asks frustrated.

"You know what? We are over, right now…right here."

"Callie?"

"Just get out right now."

Once I hear door closing, I totally crash in bed. It is not worthy to do it anymore. I have tried enough- I have run after her enough. Not anymore. I promise to myself not to chase someone who is a puzzle herself.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I am updating whatever I could write, because I need to keep going.**

 _"_ _We should love, not fall in love,_

 _because everything that falls,_

 _gets broken"_

In the morning, I reach to my office almost running, as it was difficult to get up after a terrible night. Once I enter, I find a bunch of red roses sitting on my table and Arizona is doing something at my desk. Oh! Is she groveling now? I am beyond to accept any admission of guilt now.

"What the hell is this?" I almost bark at her.

"Sorry?" Arizona clearly seems to be confused.

"What are these flowers doing here?"

"I don't know…"

"It was me!" Someone cuts Arizona in before she could finish.

Oh! It's Professor Eva. She is standing holding the door frame smile the fullest.

"You?...I mean for what?" I don't think that she knows about my birthday.

"If you remember that I have coordinated your fellowship here." Professor Eva offers me another smile, while slowly entering the room. "Happy birthday Dr. Torres."

"Thank you Professor Eva. Call me Callie only. I would feel more comfortable." I offer her to have a seat. Arizona leaves the chair and stands near the shelf.

"Then you too call me Eliza."

"Eliza?"

"Yes, people I close to, they call me Eliza." I see how green eyes are twinkling. Is she trying to suggest something? We are not even close. I have talked with her only a few times and they were also very official. I peek a little at Arizona- she has full concentration on a journal of language testing. Why is she looking at that journal? I know how much she finds that boring.

"I mean… if you want to." I try to concentrate on Eliza, "Okay, Professor Eliza."

"Only Eliza!" She leans forward to the desk a little giving a little view of herself. Oh! God, this woman is hot. Why is she behaving weird?

"Okay." I reply embarrassingly. I know how powerful and respected she is at this university. She is one of the well-known professors in Europe.

"Callie, I was wondering if we could go for your birthday dinner tonight?" Eliza asks smiling, then quickly adds, "I would like to have both our TAs also with us. This would be good opportunity for both to be friends with each other." She must have noticed my shocked face. She again adds, "there is a conference coming up about the status of higher education in Europe…so I wanted to talk about that too. If things work out, maybe you would get to attend it, if you are interested."

I don't know what to answer. This is so sudden, but she is asking to join the TAs too. I look at Arizona, as I do not know her schedule, but I know that she does not like networking and probably will say No.

"Ms. Robbins, would you like to go? But, I know that you might have your own plans." I give her a way out. If she says no, then I also will try to avoid the dinner. I am not in a mood for any dinner right now.

"I will go." Surprisingly, Arizona says yes. Now I am as if bombed down. Once I look at her, I notice that again she is browsing another journal, which she found annoying last week.

"Okay, Eliza. I will see you tonight." I give her a half smile.

"I will text you the address of the restaurant." Eliza gets up to leave. "Happy birthday again, Callie." I skip a heartbeat, noticing the way she says that to me. I am not ready right now to enjoy this, especially after last night.

"That was so unprofessional." Arizona remarks at flat voice once Eliza leaves.

"Why is that unprofessional?" I snap at her.

"Asking someone to a date out of the blue." Arizona gives a sarcastic smile.

"First, it is not a date, because she invited you too. And second, if something is unprofessional, then it is you, who dares to comment like this about a Professor, when you are working as a TA." I say in a stern voice and I mean this too. I am kind of disgusted the way she is acting now. I have enough of her jealous moments, when she is not willing to act on that.

"She invited me as I was present here." Arizona replies in a low voice.

"So, if you don't want to go, that is okay."

"I will go." She quickly says.

The rest of the day goes in routine. I have not met Arizona after the morning class and it is a kind of relief not seeing her. In the afternoon, as I am about to leave, I receive a text from her.

 **"** **I will be in front of your apartment at 6pm to pick you"- A**

 **"** **Thank you, but no. I will call a cab."** I swiftly type.

 **"** **But, I can always come and pick you"- A**

 **"** **I don't think that you** ** _always_** **need to come. I am okay. Bye."** I annoyingly answer her. She even hasn't apologized for last night, which I think she should have and now she expects me to take a ride with her. I am not going down that way anymore.

Once I reach to the restaurant, I ask the receptionist about the reservation. She shows me a table where already Arizona and the other TA are waiting.

"I guess, I am not the last one," I start the conversation while taking the seat next to Arizona.

"Yes, you are." Eliza says from behind and leans on me giving me a kiss on my cheek before I could turn to her or say something. "I was in the washroom… I thought you dumped me." Eliza smiles softly.

I start feeling little uncomfortable, as I can sense that Eliza is flirting with me openly- it is more than flirting.

Once the dinner starts, we start talking random stuff. In fact, only I and Eliza are talking and the other two TAs are kind of silent.

"So, Callie, tell us more about yourself." Eliza asks putting some wine in my empty glass.

"She does not drink." Arizona's comment stops Eliza pouring my glass halfway. Eliza gives me an apologist look, "I am sorry. I should not have assumed…what do you want for your drink then."

"Oh… no that's okay. I would like to have…" Arizona again cuts in not letting me finish, "diet Pepsi. She always drinks that."

Now Eliza really makes an amusing look, "I think, your TA knows everything about you." Then she teasingly adds, "so, Ms. Robbins, why don't you say more about her?"

And I see unexpectedly Arizona dropping her reserved self, asks Eliza, "what do you want to know?" This is such an unexpected behavior from her. She is the most uninhibited only with me and among her classmates, it is with Neesha. She always has authority issues- after I have come here, I have always noticed how uncomfortable she has been with Professors, specially people own some power.

Eliza stares at Arizona for few moments, "of course, I would like to know more about Callie, but _only from her_." Stressing on the last part of her dialogue, she leans on my ears and whispers, "I don't want to compete with a kid, you know!"

This is so embarrassing now. Eliza is experienced and she has got what Arizona is doing. I am sure that now she knows why Arizona had punched her TA weeks back.

Instead, I just smile softly assuring, "nothing like this."

"I hope that too… let's start eating." The waiter has started serving the table.

After few minutes of silence in the dinner, I feel that Arizona has put her left hand on my right thigh. I cannot believe that she has dared to do this, specially here. I try to ignore that till the point she starts rubbing softly and gently stroking up making me chocking hard on my drink.

"Are you okay?" Eliza asks in concern.

"I'm good… I think, I need to go to washroom." I quickly head towards the washroom to stop the spinning of my head.

In the sink, I splash my face with water just to stop the spinning world. Whatever I say or do, Arizona's one touch is enough to stop the world and resume it back. After few minutes, as I am about to get out from the washroom, Arizona comes in. seeing her, I try to leave the washroom, "Arizona, this is very embarrassing!"

"What is embarrassing?" She asks closing the door behind her and physically blocking it.

"The things you are doing with me."

"Embarrassing is when you say you love me and jump into Eva's arms on my rejection."

"I didn't jump into… you know what is happening here." Saying this I try to go out, but Arizona grabs my hand and pulls me on her, "I see what is happening. I see everything, the way you are avoiding me, the way you even didn't look at me once during whole day…as if I am invisible." I see her eyes are becoming dark in anger.

"Didn't you want this though?"

"I didn't want any of this. I didn't want you to come back my life to ruin everything I have… I hate relationships…I hate attachments…" Arizona softly touches my cheeks with both of her hands.

"Arizona, I have only three weeks to go," I pull out both of her hands from my face, "just tolerate me these few weeks." I can sense that my eyes are steamed with water.

There is nothing painful in this world, when you cannot be with the person you love most. I know the emptiness will not let me live, but I cannot let Arizona to do something which she is not willing to do. It's better to let her go… better to let it be, the way it is!

 **A/N:** ** _AND ONE THING, I AM NOT GOING TO EXPLAIN NOW ON THAT, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A CALZONA STORY. I HAVE DONE THAT ENOUGH. I HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY ARE GOING TO END TOGETHER. SO, IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN US, WHO ARE STILL WRITING CALZONA, PLEASE DO NOT READ IT. WE DO NOT DESERVE THIS._** **Thank you.**


	18. Chapter 18

_"Just hear me out before you run away_

 _'Cause I can't take this pain_

 _I hate you, don't leave me"_

 **Chapter 18**

"didn't you like the dinner?" Eliza asks in concern. I have started liking her caring attitude. It's been a while that anyone has cared me in a romantic way.

"I am good, just little tired."

"So, what do you want for desert?" Then Eliza asks Arizona and her TA, "you guys order whatever you want to have. They have the best Turkish delight…you may want to try." Then she turns back to me, "do you like Turkish delight?"

"I like them. In Canada, most of us like them, I would like to taste them." I try to encourage Eliza. She does not deserve to be trashed down after this wonderful dinner she has offered me.

"Sure." Once the waiter serves the order, I dig in the sweet dish. This is great.

"Umm… this is so delicious."

"I knew that you would like that." She says satisfactorily. "

"After like ages, I am having something, which reminds me home."

"Have some more."

"Arizona, you should try them…" I take a spoonful of delight to feed her forgetting our dispute minutes back, but instantly I realize what a mistake I have done. Now there is no way back. And here Arizona takes that spoon in her mouth popping both her dimples locking eyes with me. I can sense the other TA and Eliza are observing us. Arizona has grabbed my hand which one is holding the spoon. She slowly leaves my hand and I awkwardly look back to Eliza.

Eliza amusingly is looking at me, but changes the topic suddenly, "the conference I was talking about earlier, it is the biggest conference that takes place in every two years and fortunately this time this is in Italy. Next weekend."

"I know about the conference, but this already too late for registration, isn't it?"

"One of our faculty has backed off from the conference due to personal reasons. So, there is an empty registration, which I think we can trade off, if you are interested to go."

"Hmm… I think I should go... this would be good if I can attend one before I leave."

"When are you done with the classes?"

"By next week. After that I will be here for two weeks more, but I do not have any official obligations, once I submit the grades."

"That's perfect. You do not have to worry about the grades. Ms. Robbins would do the rest. So, should I talk about you to the conference committee?"

"Yes, of course." I say happily.

"Good." Saying this Eliza softly presses my hand with hers.

"I guess, it's pretty late." I pull out my hands slowly from Eliza's.

"Yes…" Eliza calls waiter to pay the bill.

By this time, I slightly peek at Arizona. She is stamping her knees looking down at the table- she is upset. I cannot help but notice how few strands of blond hair are covering one side of her face. Right now, I wish I could tuck them back to her ears. Only God knows how did I fall for this hard nut!

"Callie, let's go." I almost jump out of my day dream on Eliza's call.

"Yeah…let me call a cab."

"I will drop you home." Arizona quickly grabs her car key and my purse and starts walking to the exit.

"Ms. Robbin, you may leave her purse, because I live just one block away from Callie's apartment. So, I can drop her and I need to discuss few other stuffs too with her." Eliza says in her professor voice. I can sense that she is very irritated now.

"Eliza, that's okay. I can go with Arizona." I am little scared now as making Eliza angry will not be good for Arizona's career at this place.

"If you don't want to go…"

"no! I just don't want to give any trouble to you." I say softly.

"Then come with me." Eliza offers her hand. As I slowly take Eliza's hand, Arizona comes back to us, "your purse." As I am about to pass Arizona, she comments in low voice that only I can hear, "you can finish the business with her what I started last night." I just give a shot to her- I cannot believe that she just has made that nasty comment about me.

The car ride has been quiet, as Arizona's last comment is sill reeling in my head. How could she say so!

"Callie, is there anything wrong with Arizona?" Eliza suddenly asks.

"I am sorry. She is just a kid."

"But, I can see there is more than her being kid. See, I am not judging anything. You two are adults."

"Nothing serious Eliza." I say tiredly.

"Can we have some ice cream?" she suddenly changes the topic.

"Okay." I too need some fresh air.

Coming back to my apartment, I find Arizona standing in front of my door.

"Arizona?"

"So, you started in the car?"

"what?"

"I am here since last 20 minutes… I guess, you had a great _ride_!" Arizona asks folding her both hands.

"That is none of your business…and yes…I had a great _ride_." I start looking for my keys in my purse.

"Now wanna taste something little young?" Arizona almost jumps on me and before I know, her lips crash on mine. No one has ever kissed me like this- this rough with this much passion. With all my remaining strength, I push her from me and out of reflex I give her a slap.

"You know what? You do not deserve me." I push her a little more while my eyes burst into uncontrollable tears. For this girl, I spent 4 restless years.

"Why? Didn't you like it now? Last time, you melted in the same kiss." Arizona asks in the extreme sarcastic flat tone, "Eliza was that good? Hah?" Arizona leans back on the other side of the wall. I notice her red cheek due to the slap. Probably, I will never forgive myself for slapping her.

"You are a coward. You are nothing but a coward. You do not have the guts also to accept your own feelings. You are afraid of losing. And yes, I ignored your age before. But, I know now that you are nothing but a typical youth craving for some attention from me." I finish breathlessly.

"Go, jump into your Eliza's arms- she is not typical youth like me." Arizona says in a stone-cold voice making me looking at her. Her eyes remind me of nothing but emptiness.

"…Arizona for God's sake, say it once what do want? If not to me, say it to yourself. You will destroy all your relationships. If Neesha makes you happy, just be with her. I cannot be your punching bag- I now realize how incompatible we are for each other."

"Incompatible?"

"Please go away." I somehow say her, "I didn't want to have these memories… I fell for a teenage girl years back. That was a mistake. But, at least I didn't hate her…but you… you are not the one… " Saying this I unlock the door and go inside leaving Arizona standing on my porch.


	19. Chapter 19

_"I'm breaking apart inside._

 _I cry in my sleep at night._

 _I'm breaking apart without you._

 _… … … … …_

 _And I'm hoping, you're doing fine too"_

 **Chapter 19**

I start the week like someone who does not have any motivation left to do anything. I'm tired and fried. Officially, this is my last week, so I need to catch up a lot, before the week ends. I have class again on Wednesday- fortunately I am not going to meet Arizona before that. After writing my last email of the day, as I start getting up to leave the office, someone knocks at the door. Oh! I'm too tired to talk to anyone.

"Come in," I say anyways.

Neesha peeks in, "I'm sorry to come at this hour. Are you leaving?" She asks with a sorry look.

"I don't have that much of time." I reply sitting back.

"She loves you." Neesha blurts without any introduction.

"What?"

"Arizona loves you." Neesha again says, this time maintaining an eye contact with me.

"Neesha. Do you even realize that you are talking to your Professor?" More than angry, I am irritated because Neesha is not supposed to talk about this with me.

"I know." Neesha reply softly, "but, Arizona is my best friend and I love her. Please give me just 5 minutes. Please." Neesha begs.

"Neesha, I don't think there is anything I can discuss with you. This is too embarrassing."

Neesha quickly opens her bag and brings out a small card, then she gives me that. Instantly, I know what this is. This is my old card, which I changed two years back. But, why is she showing me that? And how come she has one? "so?" I ask keeping the card back on the table.

"This is your business card, which I Arizona had. She always keeps this card in her purse."

Now I remember that I gave my business card to her. "did she?" I cannot help but ask.

"She had always feelings for you."

"Did she tell you?"

"I know that she has. When you came here, I have seen how happy she was... she did every possible thing just to be your TA when the advertisement came on your name. She never told me that you were the one about whom she always used to say. But, I already have seen that card."

"Neesha, I don't know what she has for me. But, that is painful and unhealthy for both of us. Arizona would never say what I want to hear and I am at the edge of my patience… I'm old enough to do this stuff." I get up signalling her that I need to go.

"Dr. Torres, I don't know what had happened the other night, but she is in distress... a total mess now. I have never seen her like this. Please don't let her break like this. She cannot take it again."

"Again?"

"Arizona grew in a foster home, but her parents were abusive. She has never known what love is while growing up. She is not habituated people caring her. She runs away when there is an attachment. I am the only one, with whom she has stayed…" Neesha tells these breathlessly as she sees me getting ready to leave.

"I didn't know this, but why is she running from me?" I feel sorry that I have never asked her about her parents, mostly because I have noticed that she never likes talking about family.

"Because she loves you- I don't think anyone can love you as much as Arizona does."

"Neesha, thanks for being such a great friend to her. She needs you."

"Dr. Torres…but…" I interrupt her softly, "I too can feel what Arizona feels. But, she needs to make a choice now. She needs to stop me now, stop hurting me. I'm not going to do anything- I have tried enough- now it's her call."

"Then, she would never do that…never." Neesha retorts sternly.

"I know it." I come out from the room and start walking towards the exit. Once Neesha catches me up, I pat her back, "I know you are going to take care of her. Maybe, someday she would find happiness in you."

"Her happiness is you…with you…but that stupid is letting everything falling apart."

I really don't know now- not sure about anything. I have never been this scattered in life.

Wednesday morning rolls in before I even know it. In the class, both Arizona and I do our tasks and once the class is over, I quickly give her assignment grading rubrics, "here is the last rubric… once you are done just email me those grades. I want to have a look at them before you upload them." I tell her not making any eye contact. To be honest, I am not able to look at those eyes. The first thing I have noticed how disordered she is looking today.

"Do you hate me?" Arizona blurts out.

"Arizona… not again…I have to leave for the conference on Friday morning, so I need to finish everything by tomorrow." I answer her still looking at my laptop screen.

Then Arizona rounds up the table to come to my side and she twirls my revolving chair towards her, "just I need to know, do you hate me?" she kneels in front of my chair, but I look away to control the forming steam in my eyes. Do I hate her? In this life time, I cannot hate this girl. I can do everything, but hating her is never an option. When I don't answer for a while, she cups my face to turn it towards her. Then I see that baby face with baby blue eyes. Those golden long locks are messed up today. I gently hold both her hands on my cheeks, "No, I don't. I cannot hate you, _kiddo_. I can never do that. But, it's always sore between us." I know that I have used the word _kiddo_ , which I have not used after coming to France. Hearing this word rolling down, Arizona smiles with water pulled in her eyes, "I thought, I would never hear that again."

Then she gently strokes my cheeks, "I can tolerate anything but I will not be able to bear if you hate me…I am still me…I am still that teenager…I'm still your kiddo…and I …" She pauses and takes a long breath as if trying to say something. I see her expressions and clasp her hands tightly in anticipation. Arizona keeps staring at my eyes with glistened eyes few more seconds and then I see how her eyes backtrack. Before she does anything else, my phone starts ringing. I reluctantly let go Arizona's hands to take the call.

It's my dad. I quickly look at the watch- it's 6 am in the morning in Canada. I receive the call hoping that everything is okay back home.

 **A/N: Why is there a call from home? And what was Arizona about to say?**

 **And this is strange that you guys didn't comment about the name 'Eliza'. Ha ha…**


	20. Chapter 20

. I hope you have that love you crave for, which I never had. All the best, girl. And welcome

 _"Would you rise up, come and meet me in the sky?_

 _Would you trust me when you're jumping from the heights?_

 _Would you fall in the name of love?"_

 **Chapter 20**

"Dad."

"Calliope, you need to come home. Your mom is very sick, she is in the ICU." Dad just blurts out.

"Dad? She is alive, right? Don't tell me a lie." The next thing I ask in a mechanic tone. My mom is everything to me, I don't think I can take that shock if anything happens to her.

"Calliope, just come home. She is still breathing but I want her to meet you..." Dad replies emotionless. I know how my parents are close to each other. My dad is not very good at expressing emotions. He always will be the big spoon, if anything goes wrong.

"What has happened?" I ask in a shaky voice. I talked with her last week only. She promised me to let me know about her health.

"She had a heart attack… last night. Calliope, please just come here. She needs you." I can feel how my dad's voice is waving out of sentiments.

By this time, Arizona has held my hand, "when do you want to catch the flight?" I somehow look at her, "as soon as possible."

"Okay, we can book it right now." She opens the laptop and starts looking for flights. I am feeling so numb at the moment that I even do not know what she is doing. "Callie, would you like to call Eliza and inform her about this? The university needs to know if you are leaving." Out of all these too, I notice how suddenly she has grown up and taken things in her hands.

"Yes, I need to talk to her." I have finished my part and other stuff could be done over emails too. Moreover, I have Arizona who has been an efficient TA so far. So, I think, I'm good to go. Once I come back after my talk with Eliza and faculty office, Arizona informs me that there is only one flight today which will leave after 4 hours and there are no seats in the next two days' flights. "what do you want to do? Can you make it?". She asks concerned.

"Book it. I probably need your help to make it."

"Don't worry…you will reach airport on time."

I'm already late- I start worrying if I'm able to catch the flight anymore. I had to go write last couple of emails, then went to the apartment for packing my baggage. Arizona was a big help. I gave her the key and requested her to mail my remaining stuff to my address in Canada.

Once I'm at the airport, I quickly load my luggage into the cart to take them to the check in section. "Arizona, I don't have that much of time. You stand here for a while, I will check in first." I'm little panicked seeing the long check in queue. I see on the screen that they have started the boarding. Shit!

"You good?" Arizona asks in concern after I come back to her after a while.

"I need to go in…they are boarding." I shift my legs clumsily not knowing what to say. Am I going to meet her again? We have ended so badly and now that my mom is sick, I really cannot think anything normally. But, I need to say something to her, "take care Arizona and thanks for this last moment help." I say this genuinely.

"You are welcome."

"This is your last semester. Have you thought anything further?"

She just nods her head in negative avoiding any verbal answer.

"Okay…just relax for few days and then you may decide." I pause hoping she would say something, however, she keeps mum and avoids to make any eye contact with me. I'm getting late and I need to go right away, before I start begging her to say something before I leave this place forever. "Okay…bye then." I wish I could hug her for one last time. Instead, I turn to the security gates.

"I could not tell you." Arizona yells from my back.

"What?" I stop and turn towards her.

"I could not tell you about my feelings." Arizona takes few steps towards my direction. "At the airport, I wanted to tell you, how much I had started liking you."

"But, you never contacted me afterwards."

"…I could not control my heart to fall for an adult kid… in those few days in Canada, every single time you were near to me or looked at me, every single time I had goosebumps."

"You had enough opportunity to tell me. You knew, Arizona…where I worked."

"I didn't know how to tell you. What could I tell you then? I was practically a kid. You told me that... the way you pampered me, except Neesha nobody has ever done that to me. Everyone disliked me for my awkwardness, but you liked that too… " Arizona comes a little forward.

"…why are you telling all these to me now? I look at the watch- I don't have that much of time. Moreover, my mind is occupied with my mom's health now.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry for everything… sorry for hurting you so much." I see the sincerity in her blue eyes- those eyes- they will be always locked in my heart. I need to know more- I need to hear more.

"That's all?" I ask vulnerably and she again looks down not saying anything.

"Arizona," I take a step towards her and hold her shoulder, "no hard feelings. At least, this time, I will not have any expectation." I stop as the last call for boarding is being announced. I am already late. I quickly grab my carry over bag, "just be happy in life. We may not meet again, but I…okay… I need to go." I finally give her a hug, inhale her shampoo for one last time and turn to walk away quickly before I break into tears. This is a déjà vu - as if same scene is being played, only difference is, this time, instead of Arizona I am leaving. But, this time, I'm more heart broken, more wounded and more ruined. Knowing that I could have a life with her- I'm leaving her for forever.

"Callie?" Arizona suddenly hugs me from back. Her sudden force on my back makes me stumble a step in the front. Amid of a busy airport, she is hugging me from back. I can feel her cheek is plastered on my back and both her hands are locked on my stomach, then she says that. Arizona whispers on my ear, "I love you," separating each of the words., stressing each of the letter, she says it again, "I. Love. You… you are the only person, I have always loved."

"Hah?" I am dumbfounded now. As I try to turn, she holds me tightly, "if you turn, I will not be able to say what I want to say." This time, my name along with other two names are being called as the aircraft is about to leave- few more minutes.

"Arizona!" I sound like a cry not knowing what I could do now.

"Callie, I never thought that somebody could tolerate me- the way I am. I was always afraid of attachments, I still am. But, I want all of them with you- all of my life with you." Arizona holds me tighter this time. But she continues her rambling, "you told me that how incompatible we are… but I would like to spend my life making us compatible for each other…with each other" then she slowly releases me, "I am letting you go with a hope that you are mine, you will be mine."

As I try to turn, abruptly a crew member asks, "are you Ms. Torres?" He grabs my ticket and snaps, "are you deaf? They are leaving." Saying this he almost pushes me to pass the security gate. Over my shoulder, I only have one glance to Arizona's face before I pass the security gate like a walking machine. I do not know what has just happened.

As the aircraft starts, all I could realize that Arizona has expressed her love to me. She wants to be with me. And here I am flying back to home without even telling her that I too want the same.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: As I visited another country for a seminar for two days, so could not update sooner. Right now, I'm at the airport waiting for my flight. After the last chapter, so far, 13 readers messaged me… so I got more PMs than reviews… but, I love any form of feedback. Let them keep coming. BUT, I didn't understand whether you liked it or disliked!**

"One step closer

I have died every day, waiting for you

Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more"

 **Chapter 20**

"Hey, Mike, I'm here." I call out seeing our chuffer at the arrival lounge at Toronto Airport.

"Welcome back Ms. Torres." He takes my bags from my hand. This treatment is so embarrassing when I'm with other people. I even don't tell people that I always has a chuffer while growing up.

"How is mom?" I ask while walking after him.

"She has got back from ICU two hours back…"

Once I'm at the hospital, my dad directly takes me to my mom instead of saying anything.

"Ma!" I just call her softly.

My mom slowly opens her eyes and smiles a little finding me in front of her. "Calliope… I'm so happy to see you."

"Me too, ma." I cannot control my tears anymore. "I was so worried for you… I thought…"

"I'm going to live 50 years more to raise your kids too…" Mom closes her eyes tiredly still plastered the small smile on her face.

"I think, we should let her take rest." Aria says from behind, "and you should take rest too." Aria rubs my shoulder softly. "Don't worry. Doctors said that she is good to take home maybe after 2 days, if things are stable.

I too need a shower and some rest. As I move towards the exit, the head of finance of our company runs after me, "Ms. Torres, I know that you are tired but I need you to sign few stuffs."

"Why me?"

"You know that Ms. Lucia Torres has named the power of attorney on your name. So, now you have to sign on behalf of her till the point she is not stable." I knew this before, even though I never supported. I want to teach at university rather doing all these complicated stuffs. I give myself a mental check to talk to ma about this.

"Can I do this tomorrow? I'm tired." I request him exhausted.

"Sure. I will remind you…" once I start walking, he again calls me from back, "Ms. Torres, reporters are waiting at the gate."

"Oh no! What will I tell them?"

"Nothing actually. Mr. George has kindly agreed to deal with them on behalf of all of us."

"Why is this a big deal now?" I'm not in a mood to talk to the reporters, let alone doing that with that stupid George. Bloody attention seeker.

"Because you may not know that we are having some recent issues about our shareholders. We worry that because of Ms. Lucia Torres's health issue the share price might get down and you know how much face value she has in the market." I know that how my mom is the one who has been handling the business since last few years, once dad started expanding his business worldwide and started travelling a lot.

I annoyingly start walking towards the gate. This is the reason that I never have liked my lavish life here. It's always about face, money and status.

I see few reporters rushing towards me, as I step outside of the glass door.

"Finally, we get to meet you." One of them exclaims. "So, how is Ms. Lucia Torres?" someone else asks. Before I answer, someone else asks, "so, are you going to join the family business now?" I feel kind of lost in the sea of questions. George comes up and wraps my shoulders, "Heyyy! Give her some time to get the shock pass down and I have answered all your questions." George answers smiling wrapping me tighter in his arms. I half smilingly look at him while reporters start taking out pictures. A midst of all these, at least they got something juicy. Then one young reporter asks George, "so, is there any marriage plan once Ms. Lucia Torres get well?" Gorge again snatches the answer from my mouth, "maybe… I guess sooner, isn't it Callie?" such an attention seeker. I somehow get into the private parking place to get into my car.

All of a sudden, I realize that I need to call Arizona. Remembering her, my body relaxes quite a bit. I try to touch the back of my shoulder, where Arizona laid her cheek few hours back. I sigh happily that finally, I could crack the hard nut.

I have come to Torres Palace almost after half a year. It really feels good. This place always gives me kind of comfort and peace which I never feel anywhere else. The care taker greets me at the door, "welcome home, Ms. Torres. Would you like to have something?" the old lady asks me politely.

"Hanah! Come on call me only Callie- I told you thousands times." She only smiles at my words and I know that she would never do that. "and thanks, I'm really hungry. Could you please send my dinner to my room?" I have no energy to come back and I'm sleepy like hell. It's almost 5 in the morning in France. So, technically I didn't sleep the whole night. I start climbing the stairs realizing that there is no way that I should call Arizona now- she must be sleeping. Thinking about her brings a huge smile on my face. I still cannot believe that she really did that. She really told me about her feelings. I try to feel her hug closing my eyes under the shower- it feels really warm.

"sleepy head?" someone gives a terrible shake. "How long will you sleep?"

"Adi…!" I somehow crack my eyes.

"Oh…I am so lucky that you still remember me." Adi makes a dramatic face.

"Yes, you are lucky!" I start stretching my arms, "do you know how is mom?"

"I guess, you work as her medicine… doctors are gonna release her tomorrow." Addison gives me an assuring smile.

"I just hope she is okay."

"She is okay… no worries…umm, then what about her?"

"Who?" I ask her back while getting down from the bed.

"Stop pretending…"

"She loves me." I simply state and I guess I can smile all goofily now- I deserve that. But, Adi gives me a "best friend should know everything" glare. So, I start telling her what happened.

"You know, your story is more dramatic than those of Shonda's drama."

"It seems so… but would you excuse me for a while? I need to call her."

"NO."

"What no?"

"I will be sitting here- you call her."

"Adi, what kind of kidding is that?"

"Now kidding? Did you ever let me to talk with any of my boyfriends on my own?" then she sits beside me with a determined face. I get that she will not stop messing up with me if I don't do what she wants me to do.

"Okay…fiiiiinnneeee." I start calling Arizona.

"Why is this taking so much of time?"

"She is not picking up the phone." I reply little tensed.

"Leave a voice mail."

"I think so.."

So, when she does not receive the call after the 7th time also, I leave a message giving her my skype ID, so that she can call me.

"Hey, she will call."

"Hopefully." I say flopping back on the couch. Addision lies beside me.

"You still seem to have insecurities…" it's more like a statement.

"Adi, I know her. Although she said that she loved me, she might go back to her cocoon again and not reply me ever… she is unpredictable."

"Cal, so far I have heard from you, she is one of those who does not wear her heart in her sleeves… you are the one for her."

"Maybe… let me get ready. I need to see ma."

"And one more thing…" Addison gets up, "most of the major dailies have published your and George's expected marriage."

"Ugghh… I wish, I could kick his ass off… does not matter. Ma knows and I will tell dad too about this. So, let that stupid enjoy this little flavor of fame."

"Ma, they are going to release you tomorrow." I inform her while combing her hair softly. She only smiles a bit, tiredly. Suddenly, my phone starts ringing- oh! It's Arizona. I feel a little confusion if I should receive the call in front of mom. Then, mom rubs arms and gives me an okay sign to get the call. I receive the call turning on the video.

Once the image turns on, I turn the camera to mom's direction so that Arizona can see both of us. Her image comes on screen and I see a very shy face on my mobile screen. Arizona gives a nervous smile looking at both of us.

"Arizona, this is my ma."

"Hello! Ms. Torres." Arizona greets tensely.

"So, this is the girl, who derived my Calliope mad?" Mom teases looking at the screen.

"Ma…you are in the hospital, but you will never stop doing this…" I too tease mom a little. However, on the screen, I see that Arizona seems to be little loosen up at my mom's joke.

"But, tell me Arizona… are you ready to tolerate her tantrums?" This time, mom seems to be little serious. When I look at the screen, I see that Arizona too has a solemn face, "I thought, it's the other way around! She is the one who tolerates my tantrums." Then, she looks at me- both of us stare at each other for new few seconds. There are so many things, we want to tell each other, but it is not possible now.

"Mom… now you take a little nap… I need to talk to her. Say bye to her."

I can see that mom is not willing to say goodbye this early, but she agrees anyways, "Arizona, I'm eager to meet you."

"Get well soon, Ms. Torres."

"You should call me what Calliope calls me…" Hearing this, quickly I move the screen to me, "ma, I will come back after five minutes."

Coming to the next attached room, I say looking at the screen, "I hope, you didn't mind."

"For what?" she smiles softly.

"Umm…I mean, the way my ma talked with you."

"Should I complain about that?" Arizona directly looks at me. I can sense her piercing eyes through the screen too. "I would love not to call her Ms. Torres." She adds.

On this, I too look at her intently, trying to understand if she is serious. Just two days back also, she was not interested in any kind of commitment and now she is all into this. I guess, I have been quite for a while, as she asks uncertainly, "do you miss me?"

"Ha?" I guess, I'm little lost in her.

"You heard me…"

"So, the question was, do I miss you? Nah!" I come back to myself, "why would I miss you?"

"Oh! You don't?" Arizona gets me and smiles goofily, "But, here somebody is missing you badly."

"Who?" I ask eagerly.

"Your Eliza… she has been asking about you."

"Please convey my love to her." I reply grinning.

"Love… to her?"

"I mean, if there is any other kid type girl, I don't mind sending some to her too."

"I will try…" then Arizona makes a serious face, "don't forget people from France when you are home."

"I will not remember anything else, trust me." I reply in all sincerity. "Arizona, I need to go to mom…I might not be able to call you regularly, but please call me whenever you want…I will get back to you soon…"

"Callie? I need to ask something…"

"Yes…anything kiddo…" but, then she backtracks, "umm…I can ask later also…"

"Okay." I decide not to muddle with her at this moment.

After dropping the phone, I come back to mom and find that she is not sleeping, "ma, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm tired of sleeping!" mom pouts.

"You have become a teenager…"

"I thought you like teenagers…" She makes a ridiculous face.

"Not anymore, dear ma." I start combing her hair trying to put her sleep.

"But, she makes you happy, doesn't she?" Mom asks holding my hands.

"Yes, ma. She does… now don't talk."

"She is very beautiful…" Mom takes turn to go to sleep.

"Yes, she is! She is the most beautiful woman, I have ever seen in my life."

 **A/N: sorry, there is so less Calzona interaction. I needed to build up this transitions. Moreover, I was very uncertain about their not face to face conversation especially last chapter. I think, if it would be a real-life scene, they would behave a little stiff not knowing what should be the next move. BUT, PLEASE SHOOT THE REVIEW…**

 **At the seminar, I became friends with a beautiful woman. As we were staying at the same hotel, she came to my room last night and after sometime, she told me how she liked me. I was like dumbfounded. Until few days, I could not have one girl, now a real pretty bombshell tells me that she likes me. Looking at my face, she asked, "are you straight?" I nodded my head in positive to escape the situation. Ha ha… but, I'm sure that she didn't believe in me.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Merry Christmas to all of you. I wish you all happiness and prosperity in life. Although I'm tired like hell to clean the chapter, I uploaded this anyways on the eve of Christmas…**

 _"And I can't help but stare,_

 _cause I see truth somewhere in your eyes"_

"Thank God that you are not asleep…" I say happily once Arizona picks up the phone. "Hello? Arizona, are you there?" I ask not getting a reply. I can hear her breathing.

"Call me on Skype." She says breathlessly.

"We can talk here too. Sometimes, Skype does not work properly and I would hate any interruption while talking with you." I had a busy day and I just want to talk to her without any disruption.

"Just come to Skype." Arizona again says, but this time it sounds like a plea.

"Everything alright, Zona?"

"I… I need to see you. Will you please stop your big mouth and come to Skype?" She is clearly annoyed now. Okay, I don't mind if she is missing me.

"Now Happy?" I ask her once the line is connected.

She huffs a little and stares at me. "Why has everything changed suddenly?" Her eyes are glistened now.

"What has changed?" I start fearing if this crazy girl has again changed her mind. This time, I will not survive, if she leaves me halfway.

"I mean, even when I knew that you were going to leave, I was okay. But, now I just can't breathe thinking that you are not here."

It takes me aback at her blunt confession of feelings. After I have come to Canada, I'm so occupied with everything, to be honest, I don't have that much of time to think about her. Being the eldest child, I need to take care of everything both in family and office. I feel guilty for not able to talk to her frequently.

"I'm so…sorry for everything, zona."

"Why are you sorry? Is there anything you would like to tell me?" Arizona asks in such a low voice that I feel that she has barely spoken.

"Is there anything that I need to know? Because you seem to be different." She looks down from the screen and instantly I know that something is bothering her.

"You tell me." She says as if I'm hiding something.

"Zona, please again you have started playing those cat and mouse game. Just tell me what's that?"

"I saw the pictures." Arizona states plain.

"Which pictures?"

"Yours with George and he said that you guys are going to get married soon."

Oh, now I see. Yesterday also she was about to ask this question to me. In this age of internet, things spread before we know about them.

"That he imagines only. You know about the rumour already. Will you please trust me, if I say that I'm only going to marry…" Then I halt my big mouth with a tight break. I just was about scare away her saying that I only want to marry her. I wish, I could hide somewhere now. I look at the skype video to understand if she has caught me and I see her eyes are suddenly twinkling. Yeah, she got what I was about to blurt out. "Just keep faith on me," I finish my sentence.

"I do."

"Thanks. Hey, go to sleep. It's already too late there."

"It's okay. I'm done with school- so no hurry, but I really need to sleep now."

"Bye…" I wish, I could say I love you to her now. When I was in France, in front of her, it was so easy to say, but now it has become so awkward. We haven't discussed our airport interaction yet.

"Bye…" Arizona beams a little and adds, "I liked when you called me that."

"What did I call you?" I call her with so many names that I forget what I have called minutes back.

"That feels like home…" Now I see her dimples too. Those dimples, for what I can give away the world. "bye Callie…" she disconnects the line looking sharp at my eyes. I know this woman is going to be my death one day.

As soon as she drops the call, I remember that I called her Zona. She liked it! It was not like that I was planning to call her that, but it just came out. Arizona, Zona… she feels like home. What did she mean when she said that?

"Why is there a foolish grin on your face?" Adi knocks at my head catching me smiling like this.

"because, I'm happy. Do you have a problem with that?" I reply rubbing my head, where she has just knocked me. "And why aren't you going home?"

"Okay, you mean, I'm going. By the way, why aren't you inviting your kiddo here?"

"In Canada?"

"No, in Alaska."

"Adi, come on. Stop being too smart."

"I'm serious. How is this going to work? She has nothing in France and she has finished her last term also."

"But, she has nothing in Canada too."

"She has you… stupid."

"But, isn't it too early to ask that to her?"

"Then just invite her for few days and you may sort it out eventually. Callie, I have seen you how much you have suffered without her. Don't give destiny a chance to separate you from her. Just ask her to come."

"I don't think that she would come."

"Then find a job in France, where you can be with her." Addison snorts.

I know that Adi is right. I really need to ask her. Now that mom is okay too, I can do my own stuff. Moreover, my classes are going to begin after this break. Maybe, this would be a good idea to call her here, so that my family can meet her.

Since mom is home and dad seems to be in a good moo, I decide to talk to him about Arizona. Sooner or later, I have to do it. As I enter dad's study, I find him writing something on his laptop.

"Hey, dad! Are you busy?" I ask carefully.

"I'm never busy for my family," he replies cheerfully. "Do you need something?"

"you are really in a good mood… what are you doing?" I state happily seeing him so happy.

"I'm just finalizing the guest list for your mom's home coming party."

"Party? Do you think, this is a good idea?"

"It is. You know how much Lucia loves meeting family and friends. So, I have decided to throw a home coming party with all our family and friends at our place. Let me know, if you want to invite someone too." He says looking at the screen.

This could be a good opportunity to inform him about Arizona. "I have a friend though! From France…"

Instantly, I see my dad giving full attention to me. "From France? A new friend?"

"Umm…yes!" I push myself to say that she is more than a friend.

"Who is he?" I notice how he has assumed that this must be a he.

"It's a she!" I feel a lump in my throat. I start kicking myself internally so that I could say what I want to say. "I'll ask her to visit me."

"is she a Professor too?" Dad seems to be suspicious now.

"She was my TA and we became very good friend." I don't think that I have enough mental strength to say it right now.

"Okay…no problem. Ask Addison to arrange the flight tickets." He again starts working with the invitee list.

"Are you offering flight tickets?" I even have not thought to ask him about this. I was thinking to buy it by myself.

"I want to meet her too…" then he smiles, "this is maybe the first time I remember in a long time that you want to invite a friend… she must be special."

"Thanks dad."

"How is your mom?" This is the first question she asks.

"Mom is doing well…" I start thinking how to ask her to come here in Canada.

"Callie, I have arranged shipment of your stuffs. I still don't have the shipping details, but once I have, I'll let you know."

"Thanks! What are your plans for next few days?"

"NO plan… maybe, I will start looking for jobs."

"Aren't you planning to go to grad school though!"

"I want to."

"Come to Canada." I simply suggest. I don't see a point of playing this hide and seek anymore.

"Canada?" She looks at me with a shocking face.

"Why are you looking so surprised?"

She pauses a little and then replies inhaling a longer breath, "I don't see a point of coming to Canada. I can go to grad school here too."

"And me?" I feel like stabbed down. She doesn't see a point of coming here.

"Of course, you are in Canada, but just for you, I don't see a point living my place and going to you." Arizona makes a plain face. This is that self of her, which always hurts me.

"Then why did you say those things at the airport? Are those lies?"

"If you believe so!"

"I don't know Arizona, which part of you I should believe and which one I should not." I say in a hoarse voice. I was so right about her that she would go back to her cocoon breaking me into thousand pieces, before I know, before I realize.

 **A/N: I never thought that I would go beyond 20 chapters, especially, when I wanted to stop writing after chapter 6. But, here I'm writing this…thanks to your reviews and PMs. Shoot them to stimulate my dead heart.**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas day today. Merry Christmas!**

 _"And all my soul needs is all Your love_

 _To cover me, so all the world will see_

 _That I have nothing without You"_

 **Chapter 23**

Callie, you are a dumbass that you believed in that girl- she will never be yours, I murmur to myself. I disconnected the call right away. It was not possible to control my raising temper anymore. Then I see my phone buzzes again. I slide the disconnect button. I don't think that I'm in a state of mood to do it anymore. Then a message pops up on the screen, **"Okay… goodnight. Since you don't want to talk right now. I'm okay with that. But, please send someone at the airport to pick me up."- Arizona**

I'm totally dumbfounded right now. What the hell is she talking about? Before I can gather myself, another message comes in, **"if you are not interested then, I have to find another 10 years older to take care of me when I'm in Canada. I only worry if she is not as hot you are! :(" - Arizona**

That's enough.

She picks up the my call even before the first ring finishes.

"You are coming?" I ask her. Shock would be so less right now to describe my expression.

"Maybe." She starts sipping in her favorite drink Cockta. I can hear the loud sound of sipping through the straw. She is teasing me, for sure.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I feel like a dumb now.

"I was about to say, but then you asked me." She makes an innocent face.

"Then you said all those bullshit to me." I'm getting angrier now.

"Because you started that first… bullshit." She starts eating a chocolate bar in a way, as if she is enjoying my raising temper. Seeing her relaxed face in the video, I get more frustrated.

"How did I?"

"Because you asked me to go to Canada for graduate study."

"I was trying to give you a valid reason."

"That was a bullshit, Callie Torres. Stop being a Professor to me. I'm not your student." Arizona looks at the screen and snaps at me for the first time. "You are my only valid reason to go to Canada. I wanted you to ask me to visit you, which you never did. And when you finally did, you created a silly reason."

I don't know how to reply this. She is becoming what I always want her to be- making me the top priority, telling me things what could give me life, give me a reason to lead that life.

"I thought you wanted to go to grad school to Canada. I remember you mentioning this to me." I say defensively.

"Whenever, I said so, the only reason was you. Canada is nothing special to me, if you are not there." Arizona spills this slowly, taking time to utter each of the words.

"Is this why you were teasing me?" My anger melts away in the air.

"Yes and No. I wanted to see what you do."

"What did you see?"

"Predictable Callie- temper overrides her feelings."

"I had good reason to be angry."

"Sometimes I feel how we will work. You are so tempered and I'm so opinionated." Arizona comments putting her face on the palm of her left hand tilting her head sideway.

"Well, you will learn to tolerate my temper and I'll learn to bear your opinions." I say smiling. "But, you chose me."

"I didn't choose you. You just happened to me. I guess, I was just destined to be stuck with you." Arizona finishes the line with a pseudo dramatic sigh.

"Same here. Now stop being quirky and give me the details of your flights."

I go to bed with a smile on my face tonight. Suddenly, life seems to be what one can desire it to be. Just two more days. Arizona will be here- in my arms- in my bed. Well, about the bed thing, I'm not sure yet, although my body starts aching with the thought of having her here. Just thinking about Arizona can turn me on, the way I never have been in my life. I never have known that I could crave for someone like this. This is one of those feelings, where you go crazy out of want, desire and longing.

The flight has landed two hours back and still Arizona has not come out from the immigration area. Toronto International Airport may have the slowest immigration in the whole world.

"Stop, looking at your watch! You have been looking at that for every two minutes…" Addison advises patting my back.

"I cannot wait to see her." I reply restless. "I could not sleep whole last night."

"Awww…I didn't know that you are sexually that frustrated." Addison teases me.

"it's not about sex."

"So, you don't want sex."

"No…I don't want…" I snort.

"Then what are you going to do? I didn't know that lesbian relationships are platonic"

"Adi, I will kill you now…" Then I see her. She is coming to the arrival gate looking here and there, little lost. She has that typical confused face and blue eyes are full of securities- the way I discovered her years back. They remind me very much of our first meeting years back, as if that same girl has come back to my life. She is wearing a loose black hoody and a baseball cap making her looking like an 18 years teen. I notice that there is written 'McAwesome' on the chest of her hoody. I laugh a little at the phrase. Before I can wave at her, she sees me because suddenly I see how she smiles softly with all sorts of assurance. She walks directly to me and stops just two steps away from me.

I have imagined whole night that how I will hug her tightly or jump on her or pull her in a hungry kiss. But, once she is just in front of me, all I do is to looking at her. I'm feeling shy and out of words, which is never me. Arizona shifts her legs looking at me little confused as well as waiting for some sort of move, then she asks, "how are you?"

"Is this the one?" Addison whispers on my ear bringing me to reality.

"I'm good. You?" I take a step closer and she comes little forward too. But, we behave as if we don't know each other.

"I'm… good." She replies in an undertone. Arizona certainly has not expected this behavior from me. The way I'm, for obvious reasons, I'm supposed to jump on her. However, now I am like in an illusion- I cannot believe that she traveled half of the world just because of me. Addison steps in, "hey, I'm Addison. Callie's best friend. I hope you had a good flight." She takes her luggage cart and starts walking towards the gate, whispering in my ear in a stern voice, "what the hell are you doing? Hug her, stupid woman."

Once Addison walks by, I take one step filling in her personal space taking her in my arms- in a bear hug. Immediately, I feel how body starts shaking out of sobbing. "Hey, what happened?" I ask rubbing her back slowly up and down. Then, she gives me a hard punch on my arms, "why did you take so much of time hugging me?" She demands.

"Ouuch! Already you are abusive to me…" I make face pulling out of the hug.

"You deserve that." Arizona gives me one more slap on my arm.

"I was trying to digest the feeling that you really came." I say tucking one of her strands of hair back to her ear, then gently wipe her rolling tears. I give a gentle kiss on her forehead. Arizona closes her eyes smiling, "one more." Then I kiss on her nose. She smiles a little more, "one more."

I stop inches away from her lips, she can feel me on her lips. I just slightly brush them with my index finger. Arizona opens her eyes as I don't go for the kiss and there is a question mark. I give my best smile, "I'm saving the best for later," whispering on her lips. She doesn't say anything but just embrace me with all warmth.

"Welcome to Canada, again," I pull off from the hug. I take her hand, "let's go." She looks at my hand for a while before giving her hand to mine, then she smiles the fullest popping both her dimples.

This is the same place, where she left me breaking me into pieces and this is the same place where she has come back to put all the pieces together.

Life is strange. Some of our greatest pains become our greatest happiness!


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Advanced Happy new year to all of you!**

 _Do not be afraid, I am with you_

 _I have called you each by name_

 _Come and follow Me_

 _I will bring you home_

 _I love you and you are mine_

After taking her Luggage to the designated room, I take Arizona to meet my mom. She was more impatient than me. I peek through the door and find her half laid on the bed. She is reading a magazine. Those fashion magazines. Oh! my mom always has been an ardent follower of high class fashion. I hope, Arizona's 'McAwesome' hoodie would be okay with her. "Ma!" On my calling out she drops the magazine on the side table, "is she here?"

"Yes," then I shove Arizona into the room almost pushing her from back, I laugh a little feeling Arizona's rigid back. She does not like meeting new people. "Go in…you will love her." I whisper in her ear.

"Provided I can survive this anxiety." Arizona whispers back, shaky.

"Stop whooshing to each other." Mom mocks at both of us.

Once Arizona reaches to mom's bed, mom pulls her down to the bed to sit, "sit here, honey."

Arizona sits stiffly.

"Calliope, how could you bag such a pretty one." Mom takes Arizona's both hands in her hands, "I'm happy that you finally decide to come here."

Arizona does not reply, but I see her body relaxes a little.

"Calliope, does she even speak?" Mom pretends to be afraid of.

"Of course, she does." I take a seat beside mom wrapping up her shoulders. "Let her loosen up a little. Don't scare her away!"

"Okay…okay… I'll not poke your little bird?" Mom laughs a little. "Take her for dinner- it's late."

Once we start walking towards door, mom calls me from back, "Calliope, your dad will be in the dinner table."

"I know." I need to talk to dad- the sooner, the better. But, every time, I go in front of him, my throats dry up and never can say, what I plan to.

As we come down to the dinner table, Hanah already has set up the table. Aria, Adi and dad are settled down for dinner. I feel a lump in my throat seeing my dad looking at us. I give a squeeze at Arizona's hand, but as soon as feel that my dad is looking at your conjoined hands, I let her hands go off with a half-smile.

"Come Calliope!" Then his eyes shift to Arizona, "and welcome…"

"Arizona…. Arizona Robbins." I interject.

"Ms. Robbins. I hope you had a nice flight." My dad greets her in a pure business voice.

"Yes! Mr. Carlos." Arizona sits rigidly beside me.

"You must be tired… let's start eating."

Then dad and Aria start talking about our recent business issues. I know that dad must be little tensed due to the recent downfall in our hotel chain.

"I don't know, uncle Carlos, why suddenly we have a sudden profit loss.! Adi says frustrated.

"What does that business analyst say?"

"He says we need to update our booking software."

"I think, the software needs an amendment where it could compare the market price automatically." Arizona suddenly comments in between. Now my breath is hitched in my throat. O God! Dad really hates people giving him suggestions. I really don't want Arizona to mess up anything.

"Go on." Dad seems to get interested in the comment.

"I'm not sure, but one year back, we needed to book hotel rooms for out study tour and while doing that we found out that the room prices for Torres's is very high compare to the other hotels at the same standard…. I mean, that should be a…" Arizona stops and looks at me unsure.

"Ms. Robbins, so, what did you do then?" Dad asks amusingly.

"We simply did not book!" Arizona starts eating. But, my dad is certainly impressed and so do others present here. I feel proud of her, once again. Maybe, it will be easy to talk about Arizona to dad.

It has been so painful that Arizona is here in Toronto in my house, but I even haven't got a chance to hold her hands too. It's physically painful. I look at Addison for some help. I will die if I don't get to kiss her within next few minutes. My inside is exploding in desire. After she said that historic I love you at the airport… only I know how I have passed my nights…. sleeplessly, craving her, every second. Every moment.

"Arizona, you must be tired." Addison says, "why don't you call it a night and we will see you in the morning?"

"Right…sorry… … Aria, please ask someone to take her to the guest room."

"I will take her…" Probably I am bit loud, because everyone shots back at me and Arizona is trying to hide her forming smile. "I mean… I will get to talk to her too."

"Sure…do you really want to talk to her?" Addison whispers in my ear.

"Shut up!"

I show Arizona the stairs, "let's go."

"You have a beautiful family Callie." Arizona comments.

"You are beautiful." I purr little close on her ear.

"Eh! You have become those typical romantic melodramatic heroes…nowadays…well, in your case, melodramatic heroine." Arizona says teasingly.

"What I have become you haven't seen yet." By this time, we are at the door of the room. Opening the door quickly, I drag her in and directly throw her on the bed, "Now... I'll show you," I say straddling her. Not saying anything, Arizona pulls me close grabbing the collars of my shirts, "kiss me."

When my lips are inches apart from Arizona's, I notice at her blue eyes have turned into darker out of desires, her thin pink lips are little quivered, ready to be kissed. I stop there, looking at her eyes.

"What happened?" Arizona hums softly.

"Say those again."

"What?" Arizona scrunches both her eye brows together.

"Things you said at the airport."

"What…did I say?" Arizona asks in all seriousness.

"I don't know…I could not see you then…so you have to tell them again." I say pinning her both hands on her either sides.

"Eh! But you ears were open, so you heard what I did say." Arizona struggles to get rid of my hold, "and are you going to kiss though?"

"First say those again."

"You say it first."

"you taunted me for so long…so you have to say those first." I straddle on her putting my both legs on either side of her stomach.

"Calliope, you are heavy…" Arizona makes face smiling the fullest popping both her dimples.

"Okay…" I get down pouting.

"Don't start again… you have pouted so much so far." She pokes in my stomach and pushes me down gently nibbling my earlobes, "this is your spot, isn't it?"

"Arizona, stop seducing me…nothing will happen till the point you say those to me."

"Make me say those again…" She murmurs on my ear…

"Then I have to make you jealous again…" I reply playfully.

"Aha! That was an onetime thing, baby…and don't be that cocky… you could not find anybody, so you were after me." Arizona says hiding her face in my crook while I snake my arms around her. It just seems blissful- I can be like this for rest of my life just having her in my arms like this.

"Are you doubting my hotness?" I don't want this moment to end. This is the first time, we are about to kiss when we want to kiss and we know that both of we want to kiss… "I have waited so much for this." Then I initiate the kiss not letting her saying anything. Arizona responds instantly. This is the first time, when we are kissing each other without any surprise or anger. I feel that Arizona sighs in the kiss. It seems too normal and regular that instantly I know that I can spend rest of my life kissing this girl.

:Ohh Lord?" somebody screams from the door making Arizona bolting out of me. It's Aria. "I should have known it especially the way you two were looking at each other." She has a terrible shocked face.

I get up from my position embarrassed.

"You should have locked the door." Addison comments from Aria's back, "I tried to stop her."

I look at Arizona- she looks mortified. I cannot let her feel like this, moreover, at any case I plan to introduce her to my family.

"Listen, Aria..."

"Thank God that I don't have to welcome that George in the family. Sister in law is better than a brother in law." Aria quickly comes to Arizona and starts her train of conversation. "So, tell me how did you two meet?" She asks looking at Arizona. Arizona helplessly looks back to me, but I'm too shocked at Aria's reaction. She is behaving as if nothing is different. "Why are you looking at her like this?" Aria looks back to me. "Cal, so you two are not together or what?"

"We are together… I mean we plan to be together." I reply quickly sneaking at Arizona. She still has that awkward high school face, when you are caught by your parents while making out. "I just did not expect this positive reaction from you. Specially, when you didn't know anything." I add.

"I always knew."

"What?" I and Addison ask in union.

"I didn't know about Arizona, but I knew that you have a thing about girls. I mean, you always had huge girl crushes. When we all were drooling on Tom Cruise in high school, you were drooling on Angelina Jolie."

"That of course does not make me that obvious." I say unconvincingly.

"Yes, but what about your huge crush on mom's best friend's daughter?"

"I don't remember who you are talking about." Oh, shit, this is a mistake to do with Aria. Now she will spill everything out in front of Arizona.

"Oh… yeah… how could you forget your days…" I totally cut her in, "thank you Aria for accepting my relationship with Arizona, but Arizona needs to take rest."

"But, I need to know the story."

"I will tell you, but not tonight…" I give her an elder sister glare 'you need to go' and Aria gets up unwillingly.

Once both Adi and Aria leave the room, I look at Arizona uncomfortably fearing that she would ask about my first girl crush. But, Arizona looks back to me smirking, putting her body weight on one of her arms, half laid on the bed. She looks so sexy at the moment, however, I know what is coming up next.

"So, Professor Torres had a girl crush before me?" Her smirk gets bigger and wicked.

"It was long back," I reply uncomfortably.

She pulls me down the bed with a strong jerk in my wrist. "Tell me…I'm listening." She pokes me in my stomach.

"I was very young, then… and I never knew that I could have a feeling for a girl and she was very pretty." I admit shyly.

Then Arizona nudges her face in the crook of my shoulder, "I hate her." I wrap around her waist, "you even don't know her." I enjoy her possessive behavior.

"Because she was your first crush." Arizona pouts a little.

"Yes, she was only a crush and you are not a crush." I state in all seriousness. Then, I cup her face in the palm of my both hands, "you are not a crush, Arizona."

"I'm what?" She stares deep into my eyes.

"You are… my kiddo…" Then I pull her into an embrace. I feel Arizona's hot breath into my neck- giving me shiver down my spine. I feel that she starts giving me feather like kisses in my neck and collarbones. My breath is almost wedged in my lungs. "Zona, I need to go to my room." Now she has started putting open mouthed kisses in my neck, murmuring, "if you call me with that name, I can't let you go."

"You are horny, aren't you?" I push her from my neck forcefully. I'm feeling so giddy right now. My smile has never been this bigger.

"So, you are not?" She wiggles her eye brows.

"I'm, but I don't want anyone to find us like this on your first night here." I push her on the bed to lay on her back and pull the sheet up on her. "Sleep baby girl."

"I have sleeping problem, you know it."

As Arizona closes her eyes, I hold her from back combing her golden long hair. I cannot help but placing a kiss on her forehead. She smiles a little. Then I kiss both her eyes. I see her smile grows little bigger. Eyes are still closed. Then I caress her both cheeks and plant a peck on her lips. "Just wait for two days… then I will waste you so much…every night….that you'll never have a sleeping problem ever." I mutter.

"Will you hold me like this…?" Arizona takes turn still holding my hands.

"Always…baby girl…always." I'm not lying. I want to spend rest of my life holding this immature, adamant, crazy girl in my arms. Always. Forever.

 **A/N: did you like this chapter? Maybe, first time ever, they are so happy with each other…**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Happy new year. Let the year be what we want it to be.**

 _"And our eyes are crossing paths across the room_

 _There's only one thing left for us to do"_

 **Chapter 25**

When I see her in that green dress, all I want is to tear that dress off and do things to her that no one can think of. "You are looking so gorgeous." I seductively purr in her ear. She just smiles but somehow that smile does not touch her face. I know that she is never comfortable in this big parties and she is very unhappy tonight, specially wearing this evening gown. And my dad has really thrown a big Hollywood style party to please his dear wife. He loves spending money, I think looking around. My only problem with my dad is that he thinks that status is everything in life. But, soon I will be out of this house- my classes are going to start shortly.

I remember the morning argument with her.

 _"Callie, no, I'm not gonna wear this embarrassing dress." Arizona says in a strict voice._

 _"See, this is an evening party and ma wants you wear this." I sit near to her helplessly. I really do not want to force her, but mom has bought this dress for Arizona. The dress is stunning, but Arizona doesn't like wearing them. "Please?"_

 _"NO!" Can I wear a pair of black pants and white shirt?"_

 _"That's too casual."_

 _"I wore them in another wedding too. I had a white tank top underneath the shirt."_

 _"So, what did that tank top do?" I ask amusingly. I have grown up in such a privileged way that I find it so cute when Arizona talks about dresses like this, as if they don't matter. They really don't._

 _"So that I could take off the shirt when it is too hot." She says seriously._

 _"What? No? you can't take off that shirt…. And by the way you are going to wear this dress." I point towards the dress lying on the bed._

 _"Callie, you have again started pushing me."_

 _"Yes, I'm."_

 _"I always knew that you would be like this." Arizona annoyingly shakes her head._

 _"Just for the last time kiddo…" I take her both hands in my hands, "last time… we will be out of this place very soon. Then you'll be at the grad school and I'll be teaching."_

 _"Again, you are taking decisions for me..."_

 _"We will talk about this later." I give her a squeeze on her shoulders before I sneak out quickly. I really really hate pushing her like this, but I know that I cannot say No to mom. This is the problem I have with my family that I can never say No to them._

I try to relax Arizona by rubbing her shoulders and leading her inside the hall room. Seeing both of us, Adi quickly walks towards us, "Callie, be discreet. You are still not out with your relationship with Arizona." She deadpans me.

"What did I do?" I ay nonchalantly.

"Pull your hands off of her back." Adi makes a poker face. Embarrassingly I remove my hands from Arizona's back.

"Arizona, try to comfortable yourself. Adi is here." I say when I see some of the guests are waving at me.

"Aren't you be here?"

"I'm here…I'll just be going around." I find out the event manager of the party, Goldy. "Is she coming?" I ask in a hush voice. Goldy smiles assuring, "Ms. Torres, she is in Canada and she actually is staying at one of our hotels."

"But, she is here for a tour. Did you confirm her?" I ask impatiently. I cannot let anything spoil the biggest surprise I plan to give Arizona tonight. I can only imagine how happy she is going to be.

At the party, both of us try not to make any physical contact with each other. But, the electricity between us is palpable. Almost visible and I would say dangerous. Throughout the time, we keep eying each other. We both are as if two invisible silhouette among all these people, visible only to each other and for each other.

After half an hour, I hear there is a little noise coming from the door. As I peek at the entrance, I see her coming. My surprise for my Arizona.

I quickly move close to Arizona, "hey, what's up?"

"Nothing up.." She is clearly bored around these people. There is someone, I would like you to meet. My friend.

"Who? You never mentioned anyone except Addison."

"This one is special and she is veryyyy close to me…. Kindly underwear buddies." I add a little lie to dramatize the situation.

"Underwear buddies?"

Then I pull Arizona towards the door. "There she is!"

Arizona looks at the person standing amidst of other people, talking and giving autographs. I have expected a loud "O my God" type expression, but here she is standing like a robot.

"Arizona?" I ask her shaking her shoulders. "Ummm… do you wanna talk to her?"

Then slowly Arizona moves towards me, shock plastered on her face. She hisses, "Demi?"

"You like her, right?"

"Demi Lovato?" Arizona again says, not believing.

Now I smile big. I guess my cheeks will be hurt later because of the way I'm smiling right now. I know that my surprise is a real surprise for her. She always have been an ardent follower of Demi Lovato. I'm not into all these. I watch few occasional dramas and that's it. But, Arizona talks about Demi in a way, as if, she knows everything about her. Once she told me that how demi had saved her life, when she was feeling very lonely. On my asking, she replied that once Demi told somewhere that her fans should not feel lonely- whenever they will listen to her, they should feel that Demi is there for them. My eyes were about to pop out thinking that she really did believe in all these. But, I know that this is Arizona. A typical fangirl.

"Yes! Let's meet her."

As Goldy sees me, she cracks the gathering around Demi and leads her towards our direction. "Ms. Lovato, this is Ms. Torres… she invited you here."

Demi seems to be a very down to earth person. Instead of taking my hand for a shake, she pulls me into a bear hug. I laugh a little realizing how small the woman is compare to me. "Thanks Ms. Torres for sponsoring our stay during the tour." She smiles gratefully.

"I'm not the one. That was my dad, Mr. Carlos Torres." Then I turn to Arizona, who is looking at her crush opening her mouth open. "This is Arizona Robbins… your biggest fan of the world."

"Are you?" Demi hugs Arizona too, and I see how enthusiastically Arizona returns the hug. Eh! She has never hugged me this tightly. But, okay for now. I try to swallow my child-like jealousy. I don't know why I turn into a 16 years old girl when it is about Arizona.

"Where is Nick?" Arizona asks looking around, curiously, "I like your friendship." She adds slyly. Uff! Those killing shy dimples.

"Arizona, Demi is here for a very short time. Once you are done, I'll take her to meet dad and other guests too." Then I start walking towards dad to inform him about Demi, but before that I instruct Goldy, "make it sure that next 10 minutes, no one can come near to Demi, except Arizona."

Once Demi leaves, Arizona never stops smiling for next few minutes, "I don't believe that you did this!"

"She is friend, you know?" I wink at her.

"Oh, yeah… good, now I can meet her whenever I want!" she winks me back.

"Of course not! The way, you were hugging her- that is dangerous for me. Someday, I would know from the newspaper that Demi is dating Arizona!" I theatrically roll my eyes at her.

"I wish!" She mimics my tone.

"What?"

"I wish, Demi would have dated me."

"She is not even gay!" I start arguing being knowing how silly it must sound.

"She once dated a model, Ruby."

"Demi never spoke out about that and about her sexuality. Why do you want everybody to turn gay?"

"I don't want. This is a fact that she is into woman too." Arizona starts arguing in a defensive tone. I start giving myself mental checks not to flow with the argument, but I end up saying, "as if, she has dated you."

"One day… one day, she will date me." Arizona grins popping both of her dimples.

I suddenly grab her arm and pull her dangerously close, not remembering the party anymore. Her face is inches apart from me, I can feel her sudden nervousness, but I note how eyes are full of curiosity. These eyes have always made me scared, made me frightened, made me feel that probably I want something, which I can't have. "Not in this life time…not at this universe…not with another person, Arizona Robbins." I'm also little surprised at the hoarseness of my voice. Arizona stares directly into my eyes, as if, she knows every little secret I have hid in my heart. I let her arm go clumsily. Then, she simply replies, "okay." I don't know why I have behaved this weird. She was of course joking. I just have made a fool out of me. As she is about to walk away to the bar counter, "I'm sorry, Zona!" I say in a down tone.

She just turns a little and then instantly turns on her heel locking both her hands to her back. I see that rare confident look which she has given me only a few times. I'm almost unable to look at her eyes.

"I love you." I hear clearly, she says that. Again.

Once I manage looking at her, I see she is looking at me not blinking even once. I stutter, "what?" Instead of replying, Arizona keeps looking at me for a while. I see a little smile in some corner of her lips. She shakes her head a little as if she is talking to a kid and then she walks away leaving me standing like a dumb in the middle of this high-class party.

"I love you, too." I mutter under my breath.

 **A/N: So, what do my lovely readers think now?**

 _All of my memories keep you near_

 _In silent moments imagine you here_

 _All of my memories keep you near_


	26. Chapter 26

_"I'll never break your heart_

 _I'll never make you cry_

 _I'd rather die than live without you_

 _I'll give you all of me"_

 **Chapter 26**

I cannot wait this party to be over and to have Arizona in my arms and say her how much I love her too. "You look really happy." I jump out of my own thoughts at mom's comment. she smiles warmly looking at Arizona, who is talking to Adi sitting on the bar stool. "Did you like the party?" I ask mom wrapping my arm around her shoulders. "Yes, I do." Then suddenly she asks, "are you planning to join back to university?" Mom looks at me hopefully.

"Yes."

"What about Arizona?"

"I talked with the dean of graduate school. Arizona too applied before coming here. Although she missed the deadline, an internal reference helps."

"Did you talk to her about this?"

"Why do you ask this?" I ask carefully.

"Because I heard Adi asking Arizona about her grad school plan and she seemed not to be sure yet."

"She just needs a little push… and the dean already informed this morning about the acceptance of the application. Arizona will get a formal email maybe tomorrow." I say casually.

"NO, Calliope. It does not work in this way. You cannot push her always. You have inherited this bad quality from your dad that you take decisions without asking other people involved into your actions." Mom states seriously.

"Oh…ma stop it. I…." Before I finished saying, I heard dad's voice on microphone.

"Now it's time to your dad's party speech." Mom jokes. Dad always gives a small welcome speech in parties. Both of us walk near to the center stage.

"Thank you all you for coming and cheering up Lucia." Then dad looks at me and continues, "I have one more reason for this get together…I would like to announce Calliope's, my eldest daughter's engagement with George…." My head has started spinning and I literally cannot listen to anything what he says. I quickly look back to the bar stand. Arizona is still sitting and from this distance I really don't recognize her expression. "Mom, did you know about this?" From my mom's expression, I know that this is equally shocking for her too.

I quickly glance at Adi who has reached by my side by this time. "Adi, what should I do?" I ask her scared.

"Just play with this for a while." She whispers, little lost.

"NO! Calliope, this is why, I was asking you to talk to Carlos…" Mom panicks.

I see Aria too is looking at me. I somehow again look back trying to meet Arizona's eyes. But, I see her no where.

"Callie, she has gone to her room. You certainly don't expect her to experience somebody else stealing her love."

I start retreating, "Adi, I need to talk to her and I cannot let this engagement take place."

"You go to her." Mom assures me.

"No, Aunt Lucia… we cannot do this big drama in front of 300 people. It'll be very embarrassing for uncle Carlos." Adi then pulls me clasping my wrist, "Cal, just go through this… this is nothing… you can just throw that ring away." Before, I can answer Adi almost drags me to the center stage.

And I even clearly do not know how I have managed to go through the entire ceremony. In my mind, there is only one person, I care about, I worry about.

I knock at the door, but there is no reply from inside. Once I try to twist the door handle, I see that she has not closed it yet. After taking a long breath, I open the door guardedly. All the lights are switched off and but the room is not that dark due to the light coming from window. She is standing in front of the window. Hesitantly, I motion myself towards her and stop just behind her. I know she has gathered my presence already, but prefers to keep quiet.

I'm feeling so disoriented right now- in front of my eyes, I see my life being scattered. The life, which I want only with my kiddo and no one else.

"I don't fit in this dress…" She nods her head in negative. "I simply don't." Arizona suddenly breaks the silence.

"Yes, you are right."

"What…what are you doing?" She asks in confusion finding me unzipping the back of her dress,

"I'm helping you to get out of this dress." I unzip the dress and completely pull it down. "It was a mistake requesting you to put on this." She simply steps out from the dress and goes near the closet to get her pajama. From distance, I see her dressed up and then she sits at the edge of the bed backing me.

"Arizona, I'll tell everything to dad tomorrow morning. I promise." I sit at the other end of the bed.

"Calliope…." She lies back on the bed, "don't make the promises you can't keep." She says tiredly.

"I can. Please." I do not know how to convince her.

"Since there was no promise so far, I can live with that." Arizona sounds so mechanic that I don't feel anything in her tone.

"Let me explain." I beg.

"It was all mistake coming here. You know we are never meant to be together." I can hear how shakily she leaves her breath, as if she has been holding one for a while. Then she turns on her side putting her back to me. I do not know if I'm allowed to touch her now. She is behaving too composed outwardly, but I know that her heart is breaking in million of pieces right now. I can hear them breaking, but I do not know how to gather them, now. Not thinking much, I press myself against her putting my face on my shoulder. It takes every ounce of me not letting myself sinking into her softness. Then, she starts sobbing, as I feel her shaking body against mine. I have never seen her like this vulnerable before. I have always seen her putting on the bravest mask ever.

"Don't you trust me, baby girl?" I need to know that still she has faith in us. I cannot see her like this in front of my own eyes, because of my own coward behaviour. My lips trail across her moist cheek.

"You claim that you love me, right?" She whispers.

"I do…I really." She cuts me in, "do you even know my middle name?"

I try to look at her in the little light of the room. I do not know where she is coming from. "Do you who were my parents? How were they? How did I grow up?"

"Arizona… I don't need to know all these to love you." I say strongly.

She suddenly pushes me a little and gets up to get her laptop from the side table. I too get up to see what she is doing.

"What are you doing?" I ask when I see her opening the ticket manager page. I fear, she must have been thinking to leave. Instead replying me, she clicks few buttons and closes the lid of the laptop. "I'm leaving tomorrow. I just have confirmed my ticket." She looks at me and stares at me for new seconds. My eyes must be full of water, as I she starts wiping them.

"Arizona, please don't leave. I didn't know that dad was about to do this? He doesn't know what we are to each other?"

"What are we to each other?" She asks gently.

She lays back. I immediately lean on her and few drops of my tears drop on her face. Her gaze shuffles between my eyes and my mouth. I give a kiss on her forehead. The kind of kiss, which is not sexual. This is full of assurance that I want her, only her. I'm ready to fight back. "You are my woman and I'm yours. Nobody in this world can ever change that." I whisper fighting my tears back.

Before I lean up, I hear her murmuring, "why do you smell so good?"

"Ha?" I lean little up and look down at her.

"I cannot believe that I'll not be the one who will smell you every night." She says without any emotion.

"Please…" She stops me, "George was so right. Woman like you can be only in my dream…and I could only be one of your desires….nothing more than this."

"Did he tell this to you? when?" I sit on leaving her. "When did he tell those to you?" I ask her angrily.

She also gets up and takes my left hand and looks at that with piercing eyes. Once she looks up, I see blue eyes are full of aching, "this is a beautiful ring, Calliope… I could never buy this expensive ring for you."

"You want to buy a ring for me?" I'm astonished. If we would not be in the middle of all these, I would have started jumping right now.

"I saw a beautiful ring in one of the fancy shops back home and I thought about you." Her face is so solemn. I don't know how to respond to her. I'm even not sure, if all these she is telling me out of grief or she means them. "Would you have said yes, if I would have a ring?" she asks. Once this question rolls down from her mouth, instantly I know what I should do right now. I take the ring off and throw this to some distant corner of the room. Both of we hear a dang sound. I pull her on me and make her settle down on my lap. I snake around her waist and hide my face in her chest- I feel her soft breasts against my cheek burning me out of desire. After few stray moments, I feel she also has returned my hug. "You cannot run away anymore. You are done with running away. And yes, I would like to know more about your past, but I'll know it living the present with you."

She doesn't reply, but I can feel her increasing heartbeat against my ear. "Are you listening?"

I pull out myself from her chest and look up. "What will you do?" She whispers softly, washing over my lips with her hot breath. "We'll leave tomorrow. And your application has been accepted."

"Calliope?" She caresses my cheek with the back of her fingers. "Your dad?"

"If you would have proposed me, I would have said yes. I would always say yes to you." I don't care about my dad anymore.

"You would?" There is a small smile playing in the corner of her mouth.

Instead answering, I unlock her long hair from the clutch, letting it spread on her back. "I think, before falling for you, first I fell in love with your hair." I whisper tugging the loose hairs from her face to the back of her ears. "What else did you fall in love?" She asks looking down tightening her clasps around my shoulder. "Your wit."

I give a feather kiss on her chin. "Your awkwardness." I give another kiss on her left collarbone. In the darkness too, I feel she has goosebumps under my touch. "Your indifference towards me." Arizona pushes her hip closer to mine sitting on my lap. Then she closes the distance by covering my lips with hers. The kiss is savouring, lingering. In one kiss, as if, we live our fours years apart. I push her so that she goes on her back on the bed and I straddle her not breaking the kiss covering her body with the length of my body. Slowly, she pulls out, "this would be my first."

"This would be my first too." I add, "with a woman though." I give her a wink.

"Do you know how to do? Or should we watch some lesbian porn?" Arizona teases me biting my ears turning me on, the way, I never was in my whole life.

I pin one of hands beside her. "I guess, I would know." Saying this I slide my one hand into her panties and she grasps into the air. "Do you think that I need some training?" I start nipping her neck trailing down to her cleavage. "Am I doing right?" I ask her huskily.

Arizona does not reply, instead she pulls me in a kiss. The kind of kiss, which makes me feel that I have never kissed before. Here, today, we consummate our love for each other. love making is a cliché word for many of us, but I don't think that having sex could describe when I'm talking about my feelings with her. She is in me, in my blood, in my cells, invading every bit of me. She is the one, I want, I desire and I cherish.


	27. Chapter 27

_Love your curves and all your edges_

 _All your perfect imperfections_

 _Give your all to me_

 _I'll give my all to you_

I wake up as I hear someone talking beside me, although in a hush voice.

"I don't know… if this is a good idea, Neesha." Arizona says in low voice. "She is here…stop it…Yes, we had… I wouldn't tell you…Neesha, that is between us, you know!" I smile sleepily, as I realize maybe Neesah has asked about sex. I roll on her side. Seeing me waking up, she smiles, "did I wake you up?"

I shake my head and roll for one more time so that I head is settled in her lap. She welcomes me smiling and keeps talking while one of hands playing with my hair. I close my eyes in bliss. Last time, she did this when we went to see 1000 islands four years back and warned me how it was going to be a onetime service. Maybe, now I can have this service rest of my life.

"Okay, Neesah, I will call you later." Arizona drops the call. "Sorry, you go back to sleep. It's still quite early."

"So, you are not leaving today?" I suddenly ask, of course, I cannot let the opportunity to go away not teasing her.

"I wanted to, but somebody kept begging me whole last night." She teases me back.

"Night is gone. Now that we have sex, you are allowed to leave."

Arizona punches me on my bare back, "I don't do one night stands." I hear her laughing.

"So, how many nights do you do?" I ask rolling back on my back and meeting her smiling gaze. "Why are you fully dressed?" I ask suddenly noticing that she is wearing hoodie. She grins, "I was talking to Neesha and was thinking to go out so that I don't wake you up, but then didn't go."

"How is she?"

"She is good…" Arizona starts caressing my cheeks. I move a little closer to her and wrap around her stomach.

"I love you, Arizona." I mumble content. I don't remember if I was this satisfied ever in my life. The emptiness, which I had suddenly feels like going away. A comfort is there! Arizona is like rain drops in the seasons of draught. "You taste like rain," I add. I place a loud kiss on her clothed stomach. Then, I feel her leaning on me, as her long hairs cover my side face and she whispers on my ear, "can we do that again…?" I can sense the shyness in her voice. Arizona will always be Arizona. After the last night also, she is asking me in this way. Probably, this awkwardness is what I like about her. I guess, she is going to kill me with her awkwardness.

"Doing what?" I play along.

"I mean…"

"Kids of today…so horny all the time," I tease her still closing my eyes.

"Kids follow the adults, you know!" Arizona whispers on my ears again, "open your eyes."

"No."

"Why?" She gently puts a kiss on my ear.

"I don't want this to end ever. What if I open my eyes and you are not there."

"You are so melodramatic, aren't you?" She pokes me in my stomach.

"Yes, I'm and get used to it… and please you are not lesser than me. I remember last night." I say in flat. "And what else so you remember?" saying this she pushes me so that I lie flat on my back and pushed the sheet revealing my naked skin. Then, she straddles on me, pinning my both hands either side of me on the bed.

"You are really horny." My eyes are still closed.

"Of course,…I waited for 4 years." Then she starts kissing my neck. I feel she leaves my hands and her hand start sliding down my abdomen.

I catch her sliding hand and finally open my eyes to look at her, "did you want to do sex back then?"

She cups my face gently, "Prof. Torres, you were sleeping in the same bed with a horny teenager."

"But, I never realized."

"Well, I'm a good actress." She smiles the fullest. "Can I finish my business now?" She doesn't wait for my approval though. Suddenly, there is a change in her demeanor- bold and wild- demanding me to be submissive under her spell. There should be at least one person in your life, to whom we could be submissive- sometimes, submissions also have their own flavor- they taste wild.

After shower I start checking my emails wearing a robe. I feel a pair hands wrap around my waist.

"Hey, go for shower."

She holds me tightly hiding her face on my back, "do you think this would be a good idea to start living together right away?"

"what do mean?" I turn around in her arms.

"First of all, I'm not sure if I really want to start grad school and …"

"But, you are accepted." I cur her in.

"That's weird. Isn't it? I applied even if I had missed the deadline." Then she suddenly looks up suspiciously, "did you do anything?"

I'm totally expressionless now, because I did make an internal recommendation even if Arizona requested me not to do that. "NO…no…" I stammer.

"Calliope… you know that my pride is the only thing I have and which is mine. I don't want to feel like I got the admission just because of you."

"Your really have a high CGPA. There is no reason that you wouldn't." I try to assure her. I know that if she hadn't missed the deadline, she would not have needed any recommendation. But, she missed the deadline and I had to do that.

"But… I checked my email. I have received the funding too. that's strange." She presses me more.

"You deserve that…" I quickly change the topic, "and we will get back to our life, from today."

"That is the second thing. I don't know if we should start living together right away."

"What? Please don't tell me to stay separately now. I cannot stay away from you a single night." I say genuinely.

"Now who is horny?"

"You know what I mean." I hug her with all my feelings in my sleeves. I give myself a mental check to make sure that she never comes to know about my hand in her admission. "Now go for shower, then we will go for the breakfast together."

I come down to the dining hall for breakfast holding Arizona's hand in mine. While climbing down, I notice how all the eyes are on us, especially on our joined hands. Oh, that stupid George is also there. Did he even leave after last night? He is such a pet, of my dad. Anyways, he walks quickly towards me with fake smile, but I just stop him putting my free hand on his chest, "I'm not in mood all these, George."

"Sweetheart, I deserve at least a morning hug from my fiancé." He says shamelessly, even after my bare rejection.

"See, there is no ring…so there is no fiancé." I show him my bare finger.

"Where is the ring?" He asks concerned.

"I threw that somewhere in the guest room…who knows where is that?" I reply walking past him.

"That was an expensive ring, Callie." He yells from my back.

"Go, find it out by yourself and if you don't, please send a check to my dad." I sarcastically reply his yelling, looking at my dad, directly. My dad seems not to be influenced by all these.

"Dad, you need to know that I was never willing to be engaged with him. All I want is…"

"This little puppy in your life…" My dad sarcastically cuts me in putting his napkin down.

"Daddy, you are insulting her- the person, I'm going to spend my life with. You should know that I love her."

"I knew it. I'm not that old, as you think me of." He gives me a side smile. I fear his this demeanor the most, because usually when he is too calm, he has a bigger plan.

"Then also, you made me to go through that fiasco? I cannot believe…"

"And I also cannot believe that you are about to throw out everything over a girl?"

"Dad, we are leaving today. I don't want to make you uncomfortable because of me."

"Calliope, you cannot do this to me." Dad raises his voice a little. "You know that I have applied for the nomination of the senate position. And if you come out like this, it could affect my selection."

"Come on dad, we live in Canada and I wouldn't believe if you try to stop me because of this reason."

Suddenly my dad's voice becomes little softer, "Calliope, homophobic are everywhere. There might be people against this and all I'm asking you not to be open about your relationship just for next few months."

"Dad, I have lived my entire life on your terms for the sake of your career. Not anymore." I hold Arizona's hand again.

"Callie, we can do this." Arizona says softly.

"What?" I snap at her, "we are not going to do this. This would complicate things more than they are right now."

"Mr. Torres is asking to do this only for next few months."

"Excuse us for few minutes." I almost drag Arizona upstairs again. "What the hell was that?"

"He is just asking for few months." She replies not looking at me.

"He is planning something. I know him very well. He is trying to buy some time only."

"Maybe, I need to buy some time too." She says in such a low voice that I barely catch what she says.

"What?"

"I need little time too. This is all too much for me." She starts shaking her head.

"You need time?"

 **A/N: Do you think that they need time?**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: I had no intention to update as I was not ready, but there is one crazy reader… so, this chapter is for her… and please do not ask for another chapter next 7 days… ha ha**

 _"You keep wondering if you're what I'm wanting_

 _You don't even have to try_

 _…_

 _You don't have to try"_

 **Chapter 28**

"So, what do you want to do? Roll back? And pretending that we do not know each other?" I almost start yelling at her. At this point of time, knowing that what we both have gone through, I cannot imagine to start a new farce.

Arizona again shakes her head side to side and comes by my side. As she tries to touch me, "no, don't… don't try to come near to me," I resent her with nothing but uncontrollable anger.

"Will you just listen to me for a minute?" As I keep looking at the floor, she continues, "Callie, it's not that I don't want to be with you. I of course want."

"Then…what's the problem?" I snap at her.

"I just want all these hiatuses to come little down. Your family is not ready to accept this, right now. Give him some time to process." She says in a soft voice.

"Arizona, you don't have to think about how I'll deal with my dad. You talk about yourself." I end with throwing a glass against the wall in front of me. I need to do this to control the raising fume in me.

She stares at me with big eyes for next few seconds. She has surely not seen like this.

"Okay." She inhales a long breath and continues after few seconds, "I don't want to go to university labelled as your partner only. I want to discover my school life in my own way. And if I want to start staying with you right away, things will be too faster for me. The last thing I want is to be blamed by your family for destroying their political connection."

"Is this about you or about my family?"

"About me, primarily. I want to be part of your family, really. I never had a family of my own. I never had mom, dad and sisters showring love on me, the way your family does on you. Mr. Carlos is wanting only few months to settled his political ambition. Maybe, this will give him some time to process about you and me too."

Now I have started realizing how true she is. Once she notices my soften demeanor, she closes the distance quickly and almost hides herself in my body, melting down in me. She locks both her hands on my back. "aren't you going to hug me back?" She asks mildly.

I smile and return her hug by taking her completely in me. I always have loved how she fits in my arms, as if, we are born to be in each others' arms. Arizona delicately resumes, "I never want you to stay away from your family because of me. I have seen how close you are to them. You will never be happy, if you stay away from them. Sooner or later you would blame me. I want you and I want your family to accept me, accept us. And maybe, by this time, we'll get some time to know each other in a better way."

"But, do you realize that we have to do lots of pretending at school? And that's not gonna be easy. Rather coming out in the beginning would have been easier for me, specially in front of the university authority."

"But, don't you think that would be exciting- an affair between a hot professor and a naïve foreign student?" She grins popping both her dimples.

"It will be more exciting, when other people will know about this affair."

"We will pass through this phase with flying colors." She hums in my chest. I will believe in whatever she says. "So, do you always break glasses when you are angry?"

"I break whatever I have I front of me."

"Good, next time, I'll put things away when I make you angry."

"You better not make me angry." I kiss on the top of her head holding her tight in my embrace. I know that just now I have made our journey little more difficult agreeing with her. But, I see the truth in her points too. Maybe, this is better to take a difficult route!

After we have consented to do what dad is asking, we decide to stay with my family for one more week, as I need to find a place for Arizona. University residence is full by now and it's difficult to get a place near to campus when the term is about to begin. Then, dad steps in to help us. One of mom's friend's daughter is looking for a roomie to share. She doesn't need money- she just wants somebody stay with her in her big apartment. Unwillingly, I accept the offer, more because thinking that Arizona might find it easier to stay with someone who is close to my family.

"Your dad is a really a good person, Calliope." Arizona comments once I pull up in front of the apartment building where that friend's daughter lives.

"Yes, I hope so." I say cynically. I'm still not convinced with the idea of dad doing all these.

"Come on."

"Okay."

As we take the elevator up, I snake around her waist. She too leans on me, "do you think that I took a bad decision?" She asks insecurely.

"Yes, this was of course the worse decision in the history." I reply flat.

"Then why did you let me do that?"

"Because I saw a slight truth in your argument and moreover, maybe, I'll proper chance to date you and woo you." I say seductively trying to bite her ear leaning down on her but before I could do anything, the door of the elevator door opens.

"Be discreet, Dr. Torres." She starts walking ahead giving me a side smile.

"Don't dare to call me like this if we meet at university." I say her following her.

"This is the door."

"Yes, press the door bell."

we hear the door bell and still no one comes. "I guess, there is no one, let's go back to my apartment." I hold her wrist.

"Wait Callie! Let me press for one more time."

"Why do you have to live here?" I huff in frustration. "Okay, I'm going, you stay here." As I take one step towards the exit, the hear the door opens and someone says, "hey, I'm sorry."

I know this voice, but who is she? In confusion, I turn on my heel only to find a very wet woman standing at the door. I mean, she is literally wet- maybe she just has come out from the shower. There is still dripping drops of water on her towel wrapped body. I stand there as if I'm bombed down.

"Hi, Callie!" She says in a tone which makes my knees go weak. But, I keep looking at her from top to down and down to top. I know this woman, although I have not seen her after high school. There she is standing as a grown-up woman, all wet and of course sexy. "Have you forgotten me?" She again gives me the most seductive smile holding her towel around her chest. "Come inside." But, I only look at Arizona telling her through my eyes that we should not go inside.

"Dr. Torres, let's go in." Arizona comes in my rescue. Somehow, I nod and reply to the other woman standing holding the door frame, "hi! How are you?"

"I'm good." Zoie grins again stepping back from the door so that we can go inside. Yes, Zoie is her name. My first crush ever. Then she closes the door from back and says, "just give me five minutes. I'll change and please have a look around." She passes by us, but I clearly could feel how subtly she brushes my hand while passing. I need to tell Arizona that we should not be here, but by this time Arizona has started roaming around the house, exploring it.

I go near to some photo frames, where there are some photos of Zoie are framed. I notice that there is one from our school too. She was the opposite of Arizona. Zoie was what Arizona is never. I was drifted towards that fierce girl, who was so good at basketball, at study and at dating too. She dated all of them, boys…girls. In my mind, she still is that dynamic girl, full of wilderness, full of life and who, would put her heart in her sleeves. Zoie had that intense ability to make friends, breaking all the personal barriers of anyone. She was the one, who started flirting with me almost explicitly and I never knew where she used to start and where she used to stop. And today also, her wet body is still lingering in my mind. Unconsciously, there are reeling images of hers in my mind. So, when Arizona comments beside me, "the flat is great," I almost jump out of my thoughts.

"Are you okay? Why are you sweating?" Arizona scrunches both her eye-brows in confusion. She looks so adorable but I'm truly flustered. Arizona places her index finger on my arm drawing soothing patterns.

"Hey, guys, so…coffee or tea?" Zoie calls us from back. As I turn, there she is standing wearing a pair of loose pair of Capri and black tee shirt. Her long black hairs are coming down to her waist. She always had long hair. I always have liked her hair. O Gosh! Just now I realize that I fell in love for Arizona's long hair too. Zoie must have noticed how flustered I look right now, because she softly asks, "you didn't know that you were going to meet me, did you?" I see a glance of sincerity in her naughty eyes.

I shake my head in negative, but somehow get my voice back enough to say her, "that's okay, Zoie."

"Coffee?"

"Yeah…"

She brings three cups of coffee and starts mindless chatting. Zoie always had been an easy-going girl and I find that she hasn't changed that much over time. I look beside Arizona, who is amusingly looking at Zoie, who practically is a opposite version of Zoie.

"Uncle Torres told me that Arizona TA-ed you in France. Now she needs a place. I really need someone just to share the place. Why don't you go see the room?"

"Yes, we should."

"Please go straight and the second door is the room." She points towards a corridor. "I need get ready for my basketball match. Coach wouldn't let me skip even one day."

"You still play?" I'm surprised that she still plays. That always has been her first love.

"I mean, I don't have time. But I practice on weekends and play for the local first division women team." Zoie gives me a lopsided smile, "do you still like basketball players?"

I quickly look at Arizona. "Let's go to the room."

The moment I enter the room, I close the door and push Arizona against it and kiss the life out of her. And when she is out of breath, I slowly kiss her under one of your ears and slightly tug that earlobe while gradually sliding my hand down her abdomen. But, then she holds my sliding hand, "Callie, what happened?" Arizona asks breathlessly. Her question brings me back to myself. I was so flustered and lost that I just had to kiss her. I don't know if there was a feeling of guilt too, because meeting Zoie was undesirable to me. She was the first girl, who made me realize that I had a thing for girls. Moreover, I left her without resolving things between us.

"Callie…" Arizona calls me tenderly. I stare at her eyes and feel an urge to tell her about Zoie, but then it may ruin her mental piece. And Zoie seems to be fun to stay with. Moreover, if she stays with Zoie, I don't have to worry about her well being. So, I backtrack, "I just wanted to kiss you… you looked to adorable puppy that I had to kiss." I look around the room and mischievously smile trying hard to fade away the tension into my head, "moreover, we need to christen this room, as soon possible."

"You are such a dork, Professor!" She places a peck on my lips and escapes my grips running towards the attached balcony.

"I can see the whole Toronto from here." Arizona says excitedly.

"Yes, you can." Zoie replies peeking through the door and looks beside me as I'm standing just next to the door. I clearly see how her eyes revel a little longer on my eyes before she slowly walks towards the balcony to join Arizona.

From the door, I see my past and present are standing together, enjoying the view of Toronto. I see Zoie rubs Arizona's back gently and says, "I think, we can make good friends…" and Arizona stiffly distances herself from the touch but beams at the comment.

Good, this is the only thing I need right now. I pray internally not to mess up anything, more than they are! How come out of the whole world, Arizona has ended up rooming with my first crush at high school.

 **A/N: What do you think about Zoie? Any idea?**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Again, a quick update, just because I needed my head off and cool it down!**

 **In this chapter, I have used an Indian song and trust me it took me so much of time to select one and translate them in English with the help of one of my Indian friends to understand what they say! This is a tribute to my readers from India! And thanks to my Indian friends to help me to get this great song!**

 **IMPORTANT: some of you have been messaging me almost regularly, however, I'm unable to reply all of them on regular basis. Please do not be angry. I'm usually quick at that. I'll reply, whenever I can!**

 _"Tere Liye Hum Hain Jiyeh, Honthon Ko Siye_

 _Tere Liye Hum Hain Jiyeh, Har Aansoo Piye_

 _Dil Mein Magar Jalte Rahe, Chaahat Ke Diye"_

 ** _(ENGLISH)_**

 _"I have lived for you, sealing my lips_

 _I have lived for you, bearing the tears_

 _But, my heart burns out of desires_

 _For you and only for you"_

 **Chapter 29**

Tonight, is our last night at Torres Palace. So far both of we have been staying at the guest room after that engagement fiasco. We already have shifted Arizona's stuff to her new place. Since this is the last night here, I have asked Arizona to stay in my room and she even has agreed on my surprise. I would never know what she would do and when. Now she has gone to my mom's room as mom wants to talk to her alone before she leaves. But, it has been like half an hour she has gone and I'm impatient in the bed. As I decide to get down from the bed to look for Arizona, a message pops on the screen of my phone.

 **"Hey, hot stuff, are you sleeping?"- Zoie.**

Hot stuff? She used to call me this when we were at the school. It's a surprise for me that she still remembers this name. Suddenly, I have a blood rush on my face. I don't know if I should reply her back or not! More than anything, I know that I owe an explanation to her for leaving her like that. I know that both of us were very young then, but still, she didn't deserve that.

The image of Zoie reels in my head in our morning encounter. She also came down with us when we left her apartment, as she also was on the way to her basketball practice. When I was about to pass her, she had breathed out on my ear, "do I meet you again?" The sincerity in her voice made me to look at her. Her big black eyes say so much in that moment that I felt like helpless and caught up in the heat of the moment. I noticed how Arizona also was looking at me, although her face was unreadable. I forcefully smiled and bravely snaked around Arizona's shoulders and said, "well, my kiddo will be staying with you. So, you'll see me a lot." Zoie's eyes tracked my every and each movement and suddenly gave a warm smile.

"Then I need to keep your kiddo forever… Give me your phone number. I have to catch up a lot with you." She again gave me a seductive side grin.

Once we were in the car, I immediately knew that Arizona was little tensed.

"Let me take you out for a lunch date."

"Why?" Arizona asked little upset.

"Because I'm hungry. Aren't you hungry though?"

"Are you trying to grovel anything?"

"What?" I knew that it was coming. Arizona knew it.

She paused for a while and then said, "nothing, let's go for lunch. I need to taste the famous poutine in Canada," going back to her typical flat face. I knew that she would probably never ask me if I never said anything to her. But, for a second, I thought, maybe, it would be better if she would have pressed me.

"Good that you are not off to bed yet." I wake up from my thoughts as Arizona enters the room. Coming near to the bed, she simply sits in between my legs leaning back putting her body weight on me.

"I thought you wouldn't come tonight." I take her in a bear hug from back.

"Your mom is as talkative as you are."

"Did she bore you?"

"Oh! No…I like her. She is just like you…and super cool."

"Like me…that means I'm super cool!" I ask nudging my nose in her hair.

"You are super cocky."

"That, I'm."

"Please make a braid for me. I cannot do them by myself and I hate when all my hair is messed up at night." She asks me seating straight from the previous position.

"Okay…but how are they messed up? You don't move that much on bed like before…thank God that you don't kick out anymore." I start braiding her long golden locks. They are so beautiful.

"Yes…they are messed up and you are asking how?"

"Yes…how?" I play naïve.

"The way you go wild sometimes… You want to know the verbal details?" She turns in between my legs putting both her legs in my either side, before I finish my braiding.

"I'm not done yet…"

Arizona stares into my eyes and starts caressing my face with so much of devotion that I almost melt into her gaze. Then from my side, a message pops up in my mobile. Breaking the eye contact, as try to look at the mobile, she holds my hands to make me put the device down. Her hand slowly comes back trailing the length of my hand towards my shoulder and pushes me backward letting herself cover my body with her. As she lies on top of me, she again whispers, "never stop going wild on me…NEVER."

The intensity in her voice makes my heart shuddered- I have never imagined that I'll ever have her like this, like this vulnerable in my arms. I shake my head side my side giving her an unsaid promise! I pull her in a gentle kiss.

As she pulls out of the kiss little breathless, I notice how Arizona is blushing. "hey, you have become very girly."

"What? I am a girl." She slaps on my arm.

"You are! But earlier you were so bossy and rough and now you have become a complete package of wife- goody kind of. Good for me- I need a girly wife." I go for a quick peck on her lips.

"You want me to have as your wife?" Arizona asks and I stop my kind of motion there. It just came out of my mouth. I give myself two internal kicks for doing this. Considering Arizona's history, I should have realized that she would run away on the thought itself.

"No… I don't want to marry you…I promise…I don't…" I am total mess now.

"You don't want to marry me?"

"I mean… not now…" I try to grovel, "I'm sorry, it just came out…no worry Zona, I know you are not ready and I will wait…I promise…please don't be upset."

"I am ready." Arizona says amidst of my rambling.

"I know that you are not… forget it…" then I suddenly realize that maybe she has just said something else. Then I look down only to find how goofily she is smiling at me, "Wait…what did you say?"

"I am ready." Arizona starts playing with the buttons of my shirt. I try to understand if she is serious.

"I don't understand." I mutter under my heavy breath. Arizona pulls me down and gives me a soft kiss, whispering in kiss, "life is very short Calliope! I don't want to spend another moment without you. And I'm not running away from you ever. If you want to marry me..." Then she hugs me not finishing the sentence. I hide my face in her crook. This is so strange that the girl who took so much of time just to accept her feelings for me, now on an instant she has agreed to get married, even when I didn't ask her formally- I would say that was not a proper proposal. But, I'm ready too, ready to have everything with her. "but, isn't it too early for you?"

"Yes…" She dramatically sighs and adds, "but, if I wait for my time, you will be too old by that time."

"OOo yeah… you could not find anyone younger, that is not my fault." I start kissing on her cheeks trailing to the jawline.

"How could I? someone was after me since my teenage days," Arizona says in a little heavy breath once I trail down to the column of her neck.

"Yes, and you are so naïve, right?" I whisper in her ears while giving a little bite on the earlobes. I insert one of my hands under her shirt and go down to her stomach to pepper that with feather like kisses.

"Calliope, have you just asked me to marry you?" Arizona asks out of breath when I move my hands up to her chest rolling the shirt up. I stop what I have been doing, instead I go up to face her nervous face. I can look at this face baby face rest of my life. Just looking at her, I can say that I want only to be with her.

"No, Kiddo…" I rub my nose against her small nose. "Not tonight…but I'll ask you… one day." I whisper gently.

 **A/N: How was that? Their small talks are my all-time favorite part to write.**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: I cannot believe that I actually have uploaded the 30** **th** **chapter of this story…oh! Kill me guys, with your reviews, of course!**

 _"Maybe we could make it happen, baby_

 _We could keep trying_

 _But things will never change_

 _So I don't look back_

 _Still I'm dying with every step I take_

 _But I don't look back"_

 **Chapter 30**

After dropping Arizona at her new place, I have come to university after a whole term. I have so much to catch up, even though I have been teaching here for a last few years now! Moreover, we have the grad meet and greet session with the graduate dean and the faculty. Arizona does not have any class today, but she is going to attend the meet and greet session. She was very tensed in the morning. In a way, I'm tensed too, because this would our first time together in the outside world among other people, however, both of us will play separate roles to each other, which is not true. In a way, this is giving me anxiety, as I worry about my hard-earned reputation in the school. Coming out with the relationship with Arizona would have been much easier for me, rather than sneaking around. Moreover, I'm feeling little guilty for not replying Zoie. I saw her another message in the morning.

Once the meet and greet starts, I start mingling with new and old students in the graduate lounge. Since, I was not here for last few months, old students are excited too, to find me after a long time. I have always loved my relationship with my students. While talking to them too, my eyes are looking for Arizona. I don't know if she has decided to skip the session out of her anxiety.

"Are you looking for somebody?" My colleague Rosy asks.

"Nah…I was just trying to observe new students." As I start turning towards my other colleague, suddenly I see a glance of Arizona over few heads ahead of me. There she is! She is talking with a Professor making a very polite face, but I can see how embarrassing look she has at the moment. I quickly start walking towards her cracking the crowd.

"Hi, Professor Miller." As I call out the Professor with whom she is standing next to, she turns on her heel in a swift motion. I take two steps near to her and visibly can see how it takes every ounce of her not jumping into my arms. I smile at her warmly. "How are you, Arizona? I thought, you wouldn't come."

"I thought that actually." She replies smiling big and steps almost in my personal space to stand close to me. Once Professor Miller excuses himself, I quickly take a step back, "go…talk to other people."

"You know that I don't like talking to people." She says in a cold voice observing how I have distanced myself.

"Arizona, we are on campus and you would find me slightly more professional here than France. This is my workplace…I have graduated from this school. It is almost my second home. So, we have to be very careful about us. Since you have decided to pretend like this, it has to be like this." I say in a soft and low voice so that no one listens to us, then give her little pat on her back, "go, rock the party. You'll find many hot girls too."

"Eh! I don't need them." She gives me a mischievous smile wiggling her eye brows reminding me stuff we did last night. There are these few times, when she really behaves her age, someone who is only 24 years and ready to explore the world before them.

"Shut up!" I start walking towards the coffee bar noticing that few of my colleagues are standing there.

After an hour, when we are about to wrap up the networking session, Arizona walks towards me and the dean of the graduate school too joins us at the same time.

"You are Arizona Robbins, right?" The dean, Dr. Melory, asks warmly looking at Arizona's name tag. "We loved your application and the essay you wrote."

"I'm thankful to my supervisor in my previous school for writing references for me." Arizona answers politely.

"You should be thankful to Dr. Torres too." And before I could stop her, she spills out the entire thing on Arizona's face, saying, "she made a strong internal recommendation for you."

"No…not like that." I start stammering.

"Come on Dr. Torres, you used your full recommendation capacity to get her admitted." She pushes more. I carefully peek at Arizona. Her blue eyes are full of disbelief. Then the Dean pats Arizona's back, "but, you are deserving too, we were very impressed with your score and essay, that you wrote…. Now just work to continue it here with us." Then she moves towards other students.

Now that I'm left with Arizona alone, I carefully turn towards her. "I told you not to help me." I have never seen her this angry. "I…TOLD …YOU…" She reinforces on each of the word, hissing.

"Listen to me…"

"I told you and you kept lying to me." On an instant, she walks towards the door.

I always have known that Arizona would never accept this easily. For her, self pride is everything. If I have known her a bit also, I know that she is not going to make it easy on me.

"Hey, hot stuff, missed me so much that you are here at my door." Zoie exclaims with all her heart seeing me standing at her door. I have been trying to contact Arizona since last two hours, but she hasn't received any of my calls. So, I have come here to see her.

"I need to meet Arizona." I quickly say.

"She …is not at home." Zoie calms down seeing my serious face. "Would you like to come inside?"

"I need to meet her. Do you know, where is she?" I ask impatiently.

"I don't know… if you want you may come inside and wait for her." Then Zoie pulls me inside holding my wrist. "Come in Callie." She settles me down on a couch and sits beside me, "is everything okay? I mean, you don't have to tell me." She asks carefully.

"I did a personal recommendation to help Arizona to get the admission, as she missed the deadline." I blurt out even without any further push from Zoie's side.

"So?" She raises one of her eye brows resting her face in her right palm.

"She asked me not to do it, I knew that without internal reference…"

"So, you did that without informing her and now your little secret is out?" There is a little smile playing in the corner of her mouth.

"Ya… do you find this amusing?"

"I mean, if you would have done this for me, I wouldn't have complained."

"But, you are not she!"

"Yes…I'm not she." Zoie is quietly. "I guess, she is just little upset, but she will be okay."

"You don't know her. It scares me."

"You care her a lot, don't you?"

I just nod my head in positive. "Could I have a cup of coffee?" I need to have some caffeine right now to fix my anxiety.

"I have wine too."

"Zoie, I don't drink." I say flopping back on a couch. I feel like losing everything. Zoie stares at me for a while before she moves toward the kitchen. I'm so tired that I feel like sleeping right away, right here, not caring anything else.

Next time, when I wake up, I see Zoie's face is in front of me, few inches apart. I may have dozed off a little. Seeing me opening my eyes, she smiles so softly that I feel that I need somebody to tell me that everything is going to be okay.

"You looked so peaceful while sleeping." She murmurs.

I smile a little, a little lost.

"Just relax…you need that." Saying this she tenderly brushes her lips on my forehead, while her long curly hairs covers my face. Why do they smell so good? It's nothing sexual, but spreads a feeling of warmth inside my body. It's been a long time that anybody has pampered me. In my relationship with Arizona, it's always me who has been the big spoon, holding her, pampering her, making sure that she is okay and she is not hurt. Suddenly, Zoie seems to be the one doing that, when I need that the most.

As Zoie pulls out from me gently, I see Arizona standing over Zoie's shoulder. Zoie stands straight and sees Arizona. "Hey, Callie is looking for you like crazy…"

"I came to talk to you." I somehow say while regaining my full consciousness.

Arizona does not reply any of us. She walks towards her room, silently.

 **A/N: And please don't start hating my Zoie, she hasn't done anything yet!**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: I even don't know that how I have managed writing this chapter. I had only an hour break today and I just wrote this. I hope, you guys are not becoming too greedy. Updates might not be this frequent, always.**

 **Helena** : You know what? You are my 300th and 400th reviewer. How did you do that? But, great anyways! Thank you so much! I do understand what you say about Arizona. This is the reason that I have taken a turn in the story.

 **bluesky25** : Arizona is never good at speaking, you know!

 **violaine2707** : True… that Callie has started asking questions to herself. Falling in love is easy, the hardest part is to work it out and now Callie and Arizona are going to work it out.

 **Merak** : Come on. Don't hate Zoie. I like her…

 **PalCalAri** : Nope…I wouldn't. I never believe that a third person can create problem, if they are truly in love. Love is all about trust. We need to trust each other, blindly. Thank you so much!

 **Hansboudib** : Longer chapter means in frequent update. Which one do you want? I know that my chapters are not long, mostly because I write them during my short breaks and write them at one go.

 **A REQUEST: I don't know if I'm giving any wrong message to the few readers that I need a girlfriend or something! Please do not send me messages like that. I respect all of you, but I'm not going to reply any of those messages asking to be something! I'm sorry.**

* * *

 _"I believe, I believe there's love in you_

 _Grid locked on the dusty avenues_

 _Inside your heart, just afraid to go"_

 **Chapter 31**

"Will you come inside?" I ask Zoie gratefully for giving me a ride to home, as I didn't take my care while visiting Arizona.

"Are you asking me to go inside and…" Zoie wiggles her eye brows playfully, leaning a little on my passenger seat.

"Go home…" I reply playfully too.

"Nah! In that case, I would come inside." She says while parking her car in my driveway.

After Arizona went inside, I really didn't have enough courage to go after her. So, I decided to come back. Since I didn't have my car with me, Zoie drove me home.

"I'm hungry. Do you have anything to eat?" She asks me entering the house. "And, woman you have got a beautiful house."

"Thanks…you know perks of being a daughter of a millionaire."

"You still hate that, don't you?"

"A little…" I start bringing our frozen pizza from the refrigerator. "This is the only thing, I have right now. I don't cook that much."

"I remember how much you hated our cooking classes." She sits on my counter and starts looking around. She is such an easy going one. This is the first time that she is here at my house, but she is behaving so normal and like a friend. I even have started enjoying her playfulness.

"So, are you okay?"

"About Arizona?" I ask her turning to her.

"Yes!"

"I feel kind of jealous seeing the way, you care about her. She is special…"

"Yes, she is." I slowly reply turning towards the oven, putting my back towards her. Should I tell her about Arizona? I don't know if I should, because her dad is also competing in the cabinet nomination. But, somehow my hearts believe in her. But, suddenly I feel that she is standing just behind of me. I freeze at my place, I can feel the increasing sexual tension between us. I don't know why I'm feeling like this. Maybe, because I was never wanted like this before. "Zoie," I whisper.

"Do you think that I can be a special too?" Zoie asks me leaning a little on me. She is still not touching me, but the space between us is filled with heavy air. I know that I should not turn right now.

"Zoie, please?" I again whisper.

She suddenly puts a small kiss on my covered shoulder and back off. Once I regain myself to turn towards her, I see her again sitting on the counter top dangling both her legs. She smiles warmly when our eyes meet. "Why did you leave the school suddenly? Not saying anything to me?" She asks moe casually, not blaming me.

"Hmm… dad just wanted me to go to a new school and I just went." I sigh a little.

"But, you never picked up any of my calls… I thought you liked me." Zoie again smiles a little. This is a rare quality in her that her voice gives me a sense of security.

"I just didn't know if I like you that way."

"Now?"

"Zoie…" I take few steps towards her to reach to her. I take both her hands in my palms. "I'm in love with somebody else. We cannot do this."

Zoie keeps looking at our coiled hands. "I know you are engaged. But, where is your engagement ring?... but okay… ring is not that important." I know that she is talking about Gorge, but maybe I can live with this little lie right now.

"So, can we be friends?" I ask her carefully. On that, Zoie smiles in such a way that my heart melts in that.

"No, Callie, we cannot be friends… but, I'm here however way you want me." She shakes her head side to side. "This is insane. I don't fall for anybody. People fall for me…I'm badass, you know...and I'm not the one who waits in the queue." Then she winks at me, making the air light between us. "But can we eat now… serious talks always make me hungrier."

As we start eating, suddenly I realize that Arizona might not have eaten anything. I know her. She always has been very careless about her health. Moreover, I'm sure about tonight that she would go to bed empty stomach.

"Zoie?"

"Ummm…" Her mouth is full of pizza.

"Will you take few slices of Pizza for Arizona? She hasn't eaten anything for sure." I say in pleading tone.

"Okay…but I'll eat them, if she refuses to eat." Then she resumes her eating. Zoie seems to be a fresh air in my life who can laugh at every situation. I hope, staying with Zoie would teach Arizona too, to loosen up a little.

* * *

Since morning, I have been sneaking around to see Arizona, as she will not receive the calls. But, we are in two different departments. But, I know that she has some foundational course with my department in the first term and today is the first day. She must come for them. But, I haven't caught her glimpse yet. During lunch time, someone knocks at my door. Tiredly, I ask to come in. I really do not want to talk to anybody right now. "Would you like to come after an hour or so? This is lunch hour," I say not looking up.

"Okay!" The person says.

O Lord, that is Arizona. "Stop, I didn't know it was you." I quickly round up the table and go near to her. I kind of fasten myself not to jump on her to take her in my arms.

"I was looking for you whole morning." I try to understand her mood, if she is angry or upset. I'm still trying to figure out why she is here. So far, I know, it's my turn to run after her.

"Thanks for those pizzas." She says softly, not making eye contacts.

"Thanks to Zoie that she took them…"

"Yes, she is great, isn't she?" Arizona asks casually.

"Yes, she is. I'm happy to meet her. You'll enjoy her company…she is a wonderful woman." I say enthusiastically wishing that Arizona does not mind last night's little display of affection. A part of mine wants her to mind. If someone else would have done that to Arizona, I would have been very upset. But, she behaves very normal. Why is she always so cold? "Arizona, come…sit … we can talk…I have nothing to do next one hour." I want nothing more right now, to explain her my reason for that recommendation and make some small talks with her. So, I go to the door to hang on the 'lunch hour' sign in front of my door. Then I turn to her, but Arizona seems to be very disordered. She stands in front of the door shuffling her legs, not showing any movement of taking the seat with me.

"Okay…how was the first class?"

"Good…I guess, I need to go." She quickly twirls.

"Now?" I feel little dejected. Not able to touching her would be so painful, I never have realized. While looking at her, I have been thinking how to kiss her, just a little peck maybe.

Not replying she takes a step towards the door. Hopelessly, I try to follow her to the door. But, instead of opening the door, she locks the door and instantly turns on her heels, pulling me in a searing kiss, grabbing my shoulders. Before, I even could reciprocate, she twists me, pinning me right on the door, digging her finger nails on my neck, pulling me more into her. The kiss is searing and breath taking. This is not a soft kiss, but breath taking. The kiss says a story of craving and longing. Out of reflex, I close my eyes. Whatever, I say, whatever I do, Arizona would always be my home- she gives me a kind of comfort, security and safety.

When she pulls out a little, I somehow look at her eyes. They are so wild and rough today. This is maybe the first time, I see a little bit of burning passion in her blue eyes, which are usually so cold. "Arizona… we can't…" I mutter breathlessly, trying to regain the control. "Come to my house in the evening."

"I want you, right now, right here." Arizona stares at my eyes, like something has taken over her.

"I could not sleep last night." She murmurs and presses her body more on me, seeking access to my neck. There is not an inch distance between us- I truly do not know where her body starts and mine ends. I can sense how my body has started craving for that ancient taste rain and earth.

"Can we talk?" I swallow hard.

She even does not reply. She already has started rolling my skirts up to my thighs. "Please, Zona…not here." I say her controlling all my burning desire. This is how I have always wanted her- taking me, ravaging me wildly, showing the animal like passions. But, I certainly cannot let it happen in my office, on campus. Her hands touch my bare thighs. "Can you stop me now?" Arizona hisses, inaudibly.

"I cannot, you know that." I whisper on her lips looking at those eyes, which are full of hunger, desire and lust.

Arizona, not caring me, kneels in front of me throwing her backpack somewhere, and in a swift motion, she rolls down my panties. I close my eyes. There is no going back now. And, I don't have enough nerve to stop her. When she starts ravaging me, all I want is to submit myself into her, pulling her head closer to my core. I never could have resisted her- maybe in this life, I would never be able to resist her. I let her do whatever, she wants to, much of my pleasure too. right now, only we are here. There is no office, no campus, no other silly promises, no anger- there are only two of us- tasting each other.

There should be one person on this earth, with whom, we would not use our logics, with whom, we can go irrationals… it's scary, but worthy to do. And I know that I would do it again and again!

* * *

 **A/N: Do you guys see, what I'm doing? Ha ha… few of my intelligent readers already have realized that…**

 **Another Hindi song, I fell in love with... sharing for people who love music...**

 _"Itni mohabbat karo na_

 _Main doob na jaaun kahin_

 _Waapas kinaare pe aana_

 _Main bhool na jaaun kahin"_

 **(Translation in English)**

don't love me so much,  
that I drown...  
that I forget to come back  
to the shores..


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Hey, happy weekend! Although, I'm little sick, I have written this chapter anyways! It's short…sorry…I really can't sit straight for a long time.**

* * *

 _"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing_

 _Watch you smile while you are sleeping_

 _While you're far away and dreaming_

 _I could spend my life in this sweet surrender_

 _I could stay lost in this moment forever_

 _Well, every moment spent with you_

 _Is a moment I treasure"_

 **Chapter 32**

After when we are lying breathless on my office couch, I ask Arizona, who is still on the top of me, naked, sweaty and messy, "what was that?"

"Didn't you like that?" Arizona gives little peck on my chin craning her head upward.

"I did, but you know this wouldn't happen again." I say with a soft chuckle. Arizona suddenly pulls out from me and sits on the couch. I see that she starts wearing her hoodie and in between says, "it'll happen again, whenever I want. I want to see if you can stop me."

Hopeless I too sit on the couch. "Arizona, you need to talk to me. Something is bothering you. I know."

"So, are you asking me, what is bothering me?" She snaps at me.

"Is this the recommendation thing? I'm sorry, zona… I wouldn't do anything like this without telling you."

She comes near to me and pulls me in a warm hug, "you promise me that if there is anything, you will tell me… you'll tell me before I find out." I try to pull back to see her face, but she is pressed harder on me. And I can feel there is a little shake in her body- she is sobbing. So, I too hold her for a while.

"Zoie is just a friend." I blurt out finally. "Trust me, I'm all yours. Whatever, you have seen yesterday was a friendly gesture." I feel her body relaxes against mine. Then, I was right- her little sex-stun is the off shoot of her insecurities. This is I so dislike about her- she would never tell anything from herself.

"Do you have any more classes?" I decide to change the topic, giving myself a mental check to talk about this later, when she is in a better mood.

"No!" She finally pulls out. Her eyes are little red due to crying.

"Let me drop you home." I start wearing my shirt.

"Don't you have any work?"

"I don't have classes now and you have exhausted me so much."

"You haven't seen anything yet, Dr. Torres." Arizona starts nudging her face in the crook of my shoulder.

"Not agai…nn" I push her away playfully.

* * *

After pulling the car in front of Arizona's apartment building, I turn to her, "so?"

"So?" She asks me back.

"Give me a hug." Unbuckling the safety belt, I just take her in a bear hug. "Just call me, whenever, you need. Okay?"

She nods and heads out from the car. Then, I see Zoie walking out of the building and as soon as she sees me, she walks faster to my direction.

"Hi, Callie?"

"Hey!" I too come out from the car. Then I notice her bright red lipstick. Red has always been my favorite color. "I like your lipstick. It's suiting you."

Zoie gives me one of her mischievous grinning. "Would you like to try it?"

I laugh at this comment secretly peeking at Arizona's reaction. Apparently, she has no expression on her face.

"I was about to call you… I'm meeting few of our school friends tonight. Now that I have met you again. Why don't you join us?"

"Really? Count me in." I have not met any of them after leaving school. So, definitely I want to join.

"Cool…would you like to bring anyone else?"

I turn to Arizona, "come with me." Somehow I have a feeling that she would say yes, at least now. And, this would lessen her insecurities too.

Arizona looks at me and moments later says, "I'll… "

"Okay…deal.." I notice how Zoie is smiling looking at me- it's more of a smile of amusement- kind of smile when we know some little secret of others.

* * *

At the restaurant, after ages, I have met few of my classmates. All of them are different people now, but it seems as if, it was just yesterday. It's been half an hour that we are here, but all my concentration is on Arizona. She has come here with Zoie and both are wearing same color lipstick. Shock would be a small word to describe my feelings now. I know how much she dislikes wearing them. After some time, Arizona excuses herself to go to the washroom and I too follow her.

Peeking into the washroom, as I see there is no one, I wrap around her waist, "Are you wearing lipstick?". Before today, I have never seen her wearing lipstick. "You are looking smoking hot."

She too snakes around my waist, "it's Zoie's." Then she starts kissing my neck trailing down to the cleavage. Her mouth is warm, her lips are soft. I start laughing noticing the urgency in her movement.

"You know…you just did that few hours back…"

But she starts pushing up my skirt up, I quickly hold her hands, "Arizona? Not here…again. What's this?"

"Then where?" I see a kind of desperation in her eyes, which I have never seen before. The same thing, I have seen in the morning too.

"Come to my house after dinner." I whisper cupping her face. "Now let me go." I push her back from me.

"You cannot go like this." She grins viciously.

"Arizona…" She twirls me facing the mirror before I finish saying anything, "what will _your_ Zoie think about this marks?" There are lipstick marks on all my neck trailing down to my chest.

"O gosh! No way!" I start wiping them with wet napkins and she again wraps around me from back and laughs popping both her dimples. "I have marked you. now you are mine." She again tries to kiss my ears.

"NO…Arizona…" I suspect that she is trying to put more lipstick marks on me.

But, suddenly someone just comes in, I quickly lean down to the sink to wash my face hiding it. Once that woman takes a stall, I lean up gently wiping out the last mark from my neck. "By the way, why are you wearing lipstick? You never liked them." I ask her looking at the mirror.

"I thought that you like lipstick." Arizona replies just before sneaking out of the bathroom door leaving me stunned. Now I know what has happened. As I have praised Zoie's lipstick in front of her, she has them too.

I come out of the washroom, deciding that I need to talk to her… soon.

* * *

 **A/N: And I have met a girl- she is everything I could ever think of. She just happened out of nowhere when I was about to throw my life on my lost love, when I was the least ready, when I was done with everything else. I'm still recovering, but she makes me immensely happy- happiest I was in my life ever. I hope, one day I also would be able to make her equally joyful. And, I was about to stop writing this story, but if I'm still writing, it's because of her. So, thank you for bringing yourself in my life!**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Hi wilderness, this chapter is only for YOU. I really don't like when you are sad or down. So, this is what I could do at the moment. Are you smiling though? A little, okay?**

 **Nicole:** You even wouldn't believe that how much I laughed reading your comment that my story increased your age by 10 years. it was hilarious… but I see that you have liked it so far. BUT, please there is absolutely no need to hate Zoie. The problem is between Callie and Arizona. And welcome to the story.

 **ANGRY READERS** : When I don't reply the private messages, there is a reason. Otherwise, I always do, even if I'm late.

 **The ONE supporting reader** : I love you.

* * *

Don't you ever say I just walked away

I will always want you

I can't live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you

 **Chapter 33**

As I'm sitting beside Arizona occasionally sipping into my diet Pepsi, suddenly I realize the Arizona has grabbed my right hand with her left. The palm of her hand is warm, soft and giving. She laces all her fingers against mine and keeps them on my thigh. Arizona is never like this. I have never seen her to express any kind of display of affection, let alone we are in a public area. As I try to take it away, she holds my hand with all her strength. After few seconds of wrestling, she turns towards me and says in a non-audible voice, "I want to hold you." I can see only sincerity in her eyes and there is no way that I can say no to her. I just nod and let her keep my hands in hers. I too feel good to have her being like this- all craving for me. Secretly, I always want her to show more affection towards me. Underneath the table, I feel how she starts playing with my fingers, palm, top of the hand. It's like just giving a sense of security, letting me know how much she loves me.

After dinner, as I and Zoie walk together, Zoie suddenly asks me, "when are you planning to come out?"

"What?" My heart jumps towards my throats.

"Coming out with Arizona, I mean." Zoie says equally calm voice.

"You knew." Shocked would be a little word to describe my feelings.

"Hot stuff, do you know how you two people look at each other? I have never seen anyone having so much to say to each other only through the eyes."

"I mean…"

"I mean, the tension between you two are always there even if you don't do anything. Anyone would know it immediately."

"Ok." I don't know what else I could reply.

"And I saw your hand-sex under the table also." Zoie wiggles her eye brows bouncily.

"Hah? Hand sex?" I cannot stop the chuckles comes out with it.

"Yes, of course that could be called hand-sex." She adds pointing her index finger towards herself, "coined by the famous Zoie."

"Yes… I see that." my tight feelings start loosening up.

"Now on a serious note… you guys should be just be yourselves. This is not healthy. So far, I have seen that girl, she has serious problem of keeping things to herself, instead of venting it out." Zoie nods her head in concern.

"I know… but you know too that my dad is running for the cabinet meeting."

Then Zoie just twirls towards me and stops me by holding my shoulders, "Callie, stop living a life for others. I know what our dads are running for what. This is a never-ending process. Learn to say NO. You are making things very complicated for you two."

I look back to her almost gratefully for saying those words to me. I nod my head and say, "you are right, I guess."

She gives me the warmest smile, I have ever seen. "I know I'm right, because I'm awesome." Zoie moves her head in such a way that the curls bump a little making her too cute.

"Yes, you are!"

"I guess, we can go, if you are done with your pillow talk." Arizona slowly walks towards us.

"You got a total bitch in your pants, you know that?" Zoie winks at me puling out her hands from my shoulders.

"I love that bitch and I can leave all other hot humans for that bitch." I reply playfully.

"Probably, I too need to find a bitch, so that I can leave all other sexy humans for that one." Zoie says in all seriousness.

* * *

"Can we talk?" I ask wrapping Arizona from behind resting my chin on her left shoulder. She leans a little on me putting her body weight on me- she seems to be little relaxed now. Then she says, "no!"

"Why no?" I ask little annoyed.

"I don't want to end up in fighting with you. I just want to live the moment right now." Saying this she turns in the loop of my hands and starts unbuttoning my shirt. But, I quickly grab her hands, "no… Arizona."

"Why? Now don't you like to have sex with me?"

"No! we need to talk. You seem to be so out of the place."

"I'm okay. Just let's go to bed." Arizona starts walking towards the bed leaving me.

"Arizona," I call loudly from her back. "You would not go anywhere without talking to me. Did you travel from France to Canada to behave like this? I feel like, I even don't know you."

"Yes… you don't know me, because your little obsession towards me is gone. Isn't it, Dr. Torres?"

"Arizona?" I cannot believe that she actually has uttered those words. For this girl, I did everything I could do, so that we could have a life together. Now, finally when we are together, she is accusing me like this.

"Yes, true… I never had a family. I never had anyone whom I could call my family and I started thinking that you were my family." She is at the verge of breaking into tears.

"You are my family too Arizona. We don't need any legal stamp on that to call each other family."

"Really?"

"Do you doubt it?"

"Tomorrow is grad day."

"Yes, so?" I have started becoming very impatient by now. I really don't get, what she is trying to say.

"And you asked Zoie to go with you." Now her tears are rolling down to her cheeks. I cannot see her like this. I don't think, it is possible for me to be angry at her if she has these big drops of tears coming out of her eyes.

"And she said NO. She has somewhere else to go. And this is not a date or something. You know, she knows about us." I add the last part cupping her cheeks.

"Callie, it's never about Zoie. It's about you. you have started behaving distant. She never came in between us, but you are coming in between us." Arizona backs off a little to sit on the nearest chair.

"What do you want me to do?" I ask her folding my hands. I'm tired of doing all these.

"Take me with you tomorrow to the grad day." She replies locking her eyes onto mine.

"Arizona, no one knows about us. It was you who wanted this."

"Now I don't want this anymore. Just tell everyone that we are together." Arizona says in a monotonic tone.

"I have no problem doing that, but there is a way of doing everything. I just cannot do this like this." I shake my head side to side.

"NO, I want it right away, right now."

"I'm the faculty of this university. I'm not a damn student only that nobody would care if I do anything out of the blue." I say her suppressing my fuming anger.

"Okay…" Arizona picks up her jacket and purse and heads towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To my apartment." She unlocks the door.

"Arizona… there is freezing rain outside and you have to change two buses to go home at this hour."

"I don't care."

"You have asthma. You don't dare to step out of this door." I warn her.

"Guess what? I'm leaving." And she just steps out.

This is the very first time ever that I prefer not running after her. I don't know why she is so much eager to ruin everything between us. But, if she is ready to be with me right now, I'm ready too. When that stupid girl will ever understand my feelings for her! Probably never.

* * *

 **A/N: Nowadays, my nerdy girlfriend is off to a sports tour and I miss her like hell. I even don't remember, if I have ever learned going on without her. It's quicker than my imagination- all consuming than my anticipation! Isn't it strange how some people just happen to our lives** **, as if they were always meant to be and they consume you before you even know it?**

 **AND DON'T WORRY, THEY'LL BE TOGETHER SOOOOOOON!**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: I apologize for being late. I have been too busy lately. Happy belated Valentine's love to all of you!**

* * *

 _"Oceans apart day after day_

 _And I slowly go insane_

 _I hear your voice on the line_

 _But it doesn't stop the pain_

 _If I see you next to never_

 _How can we say forever_

 _Wherever you go_

 _Whatever you do_

 _I will be right here waiting for you"_

 **Chapter 34**

On waking up in the morning, the first thing I remember is Arizona's angry and frustrated face. I really can take anything, but not her anger towards me. Again, somehow, I'm unable to approach her, maybe first time ever, I'm hesitating of calling her. So , instead of her, I end up calling Zoie. At least, I would know how Arizona is doing.

"Hi! So, how could I'm so lucky to be called at this early hours?" Zoie asks in her usual happy self.

"How is Arizona?" I ask her quickly.

"So, that's the reason? But, she was with you." She asks yawning.

"We had a fight and she left." I inform her in a low voice.

"Uff! You guys fight like kids. I don't know… I haven't seen her. She must be in her room. Do you want me to check on her?"

"No…that's okay." I say hesitantly. It seems like asking too much from Zoie. She doesn't owe anything to me. "Callie, why don't you come over to my place. I will be out of the apartment within next half an hour. So…." She starts giggling on the phone.

"Zoie…" I know why she is giggling so much.

"You know…. Right…angry sex." I can imagine her playful face even from this side of the phone too.

"Stop it…I just wanted to know if she was okay."

"So…you aren't coming?" Zoie somehow asks out of her fit of laughter.

"I'll see." I reply little flat.

"But, I don't want to see any strains anywhere in my apartment…. Do whatever you wanna do in her bedroom…okay?" She starts chuckling again.

"I'm dropping…" I quickly disconnect the phone before she does anymore teasing on me.

* * *

I shove the plate to her, "eat this and I want you to finish all of these."

I have come to visit her before going to the university and found she has caught a severe cold. I knew this. Arizona always have problems of cold and asthma.

"No…eww…I hate broccoli soup. I won't eat them." She shoves the bowl back to me. Then, I round the kitchen counter and sit next to her. "Arizona, open your mouth." I give her another 'open your mouth' glare. As she opens and I push the spoon of soup in her mouth. She swallows that locking eyes with me. I try to ignore that stare for next few minutes. I'm still upset at her. But, that look she is giving me is something, I never could ignore. So much she says only through her eyes and somehow I immediately I know what she is feeling. And I know that she can read my eyes too.

Once she is settled down in her bed, I pull the quilt up to her body, "okay, you have food cooked in the freezer for next two days. You just have to warm them up." She doesn't reply except giving me few of the guilty glances. Once I'm about to leave her bedside, she clasps my wrist and pulls me a little near to her, "I'm sorry! I should not have said all those to you. But, you need to understand me too."

"Arizona, you need to understand me too and if I remind you that it was you who wanted to go through all these." I add the last part looking away fighting the tears back to my eyes.

"Going through all these doesn't mean that I would want to see you with other people." Arizona says in a hoarse voice.

"Just stop it. I told you there is no one."

"Calliope, are you upset because I was pushing you?" She brushes the top of my hand with her thumb. The warmness this one touch gives me, I do not think that I could ever have them anywhere else. "I feel that I'm becoming the less important part of your life. Of course, you will have many friends down the line, I need to know that if I'm making the top in your list." Saying this she starts kissing the tips of my fingers- one at a time- slowly locking her eyes on me. Then, she laces her fingers with mine and pulls me little near making me sitting next to her. Once I'm seated, she shoves away the bangs from my forehead, "I miss seeing those irresistible passion you had for me. You think that I'm a baby, but I'm not. I see how your demeanor changes when Zoie is there. So, is this because she is mature and I'm not?"

"Arizona, I thought that we have moved past to all these insecurities. But, I see, it is not the case. So, I guess we need to work on that." I try to stand from the bed, but she keeps a hold on me. I feel how her body is tensed

"So what do you want? You'll go out with anyone and I wouldn't care? I guess I too need to see other people so that you feel that same what I have been feeling lately." Arizona says in her typical flat tone. I know that she is trying to hurt me.

"You know what? You are not you anymore." Even though I have been trying to play a mature role, which is totally not me, I sense that I cannot do this anymore.

"Let me show you what I'm." Arizona starts kissing my neck with her leftover energy. I can feel her warm breath and skin. She still has temperature. "Arizona…what is this? Why are you behaving this weird?" I gently try to push her away. But, the more I have been trying the more she is forcing herself on mine. One of her hands has already started ripping off my shirt. However, this time I shove away her forcefully.

"Aren't I your kiddo anymore?" She asks me softly while still catching up her breathing. I unlock our joined hands, "Arizona, I don't know… I'm not sure about anything now!" I see the instant pain in her eyes, but I cannot help it now. The way she has hurt me, I too want to hurt her. I too want to see her suffering from my words. So, I end up saying, "you are right! We need to see other people…and you are right that you are immature!" saying this I instantly bolt out from the bed and start walking towards the door not looking back to her even once.

* * *

It's evening and the morning conversation with Arizona is still reeling in my head. I really went little overboard. She was sick and I should not have pushed her away the way I did. Once the party starts I just grab a glass of juice and stand in a corner with a group of old Professors. Sometimes, it's safe to join their boring conversations too.

"So, Dr. Torres, are you enjoying the new project?" Dr. Haugger asks me casually sipping into her wine. Ohh! These people. Who talks about research projects in a grad party? Anyways, I'm almost habituated with this. So, I casually answer her, "yeah! It's great and exciting. I'm pretty excited about the anticipated result." I continue with my fake enthusiasm. Once the conversation starts, out of the blue I feel that I have just seen Arizona. But, there are too many students in the center hall to find out my girl. I know she is not doing well. I quickly walk towards the gathering to find if she really has come. Then I see her.

Arizona is standing at the corner of the bar with a girl. I have never seen this girl. She must be her new friend. I feel little relaxed seeing her making friends. As I try to initiate going back, Arizona notices me and starts walking towards me with a laze smile playing in the corner of her lips. There must be something in her sleeves. Otherwise, after the morning fiasco between us, if I have known her even a bit too, she would not have even looked at me. But, here I see how her eyes are twinkling.

"Hey, Dr. Torres…nice seeing you." Arizona asks me so causally that I feel a lump in my throat.

"What's this Zona?"

"Nothing…" She smiles again before continuing, "so, here I'm… you think that we need to see you people…" Arizona chuckles a bit.

"Forget about morning… we'll talk about this later." I take a turn on my heel, but I stop when she continues, "I'm ready to see new people… I even have bagged one within this short time. You really underestimate my abilities." She ends with a super sarcastic tone. As I turn back to her, I see how her eyes are burning. There is so much of anger in them. Arizona takes a step closer to me and hisses on my ear, "every time I come near to you, you push me away… now I have her. I'll kiss her lips, not yours…I'll rip off her clothes….not yours…" By this time, I'm totally bombed down. I cannot even feel where I'm standing. I feel that my both feet are so heavy. She continues after taking a short pause, "I'll see if she too turns on when I kiss her necks, the way you used to." Her hot breathes are washing away my ear and her husky voice makes it sure that I get the point. Arizona stands straight in front of me, "Calliope, I would like to see how you feel when I'll be busy in tasting other people. Will you like that?" Saying this, she starts walking back leaving me standing there.

I know that all she is doing just to hurt me, but sometimes when we are insanely in love with somebody, our rational self stops working. Those insane feelings override our brain. I know that she would never do what she has just warned me to do…but somehow I start feeling senseless rage towards her. At this moment, nothing matters except hurting her back, the way she has hurt me. At this moment, I can sleep with anybody present in this room just to hurt her. "Arizona, the game you just have started, I'll play that, but in my way." I start backing off from the center hall with a mind full of rage, frustration and intolerable pain.

* * *

 **A/N: Trust me, you should never do what Callie and Arizona are doing. You'll end up losing everything. If your relationship is strong enough, it'll survive even there is 7,138 miles distance in between...even if there are couple of unwanted people in between...**

 **But, tell me… how was the chapter? I had a real hard time writing this…**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Surprise! This is the last chapter of the story. A longer author note is added at the end of the story.**

* * *

 _This is us at our best, and at our worst_

 _And when we speak, does it feel unrehearsed?_

 _Cause where I wanna be is far apart_

 _From where we are, from where we are_

 _And I thought I found the place where we could start_

 _Talk from the heart, talk from the heart_

 **Chapter 35**

It's been almost two weeks after the grad day and I have been avoiding Arizona quite successfully.

But, I met her yesterday in a local pub. I went there with my colleagues and unexpectedly, I saw Arizona sitting at one of the table just string of my nose. This was the longest time that I had not met her. My first reaction was to run towards her and hug her tightly. It's been so many days that didn't feel her soft body against mine. But, I had to walk tall. So, I kept pretending that I hadn't seen her. However, after a while, I saw with the corner of my eyes that she had started walking towards our table and before I did any movement, she was just standing there.

"Hi!" Arizona greeted in such a way that it could be directed to anyone.

"Hey, Arizona? How are you doing?" Dr. Erik asked joyfully.

"Not good." I heard her saying in a low voice.

"What happened?" Another Professor asked.

"Dr. Torres, I need to talk to you." since I was not looking at her, I only heard how she came strong on this line- demanding.

"What?" I asked now looking at her.

"I need to talk to you. will you please come outside for a while?" Arizona said stronger than before.

"Sorry…Ms. Robbins! You need to fix an appointment, if you want to talk to me." I tried to sound as stern as I could in front of her, but Erik hushed from my side, "she looks in distress… you should talk to her."

"Okay… let's go."

Once we were outside, Arizona kept mum for next 5 minutes occasionally looking here and there.

"Will you say something?" I was little louder. "I don't have time for your drama."

"I …. Am…" She then looked at me with eyes pooled with water. I probably could tolerate anything in this world, except seeing Arizona in pain. For me, she always came first. At that moment, all I felt was to take her in my arms, but I could not as there was a chance that my colleagues might come out.

"Zona, come home."

"Home?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Yes…"

* * *

Now Arizona is in my house since last half an hour and has not uttered a single word. I have tried to do some small talk, but she seems to be in her won world. I know this nature of her. She is planning to tell me something. God knows what is left to speak after what she already has told me on the grad day.

"Okay… since you are not in a mood to talk, let me cook. At least, I'll have something to do."

In the kitchen, I start doing preparation for mashed potato, which is her favorite. I remember how she claims that she could live only on mashed potatoes. Suddenly, I feel that Arizona has stood just behind of me.

"Arizona?"

No saying a word, she twirls me facing her and pins me on the kitchen wall coming dangerously close to me. She cups my face, "Calliope… it's been so many days that we have not kissed. I'm dying, baby. Tell me what I have to do. I'll do everything just to convince you that I love you and only you." This is the first time when Arizona tries to persuade me. I see how truthful her eyes are! They never have been this sincere, this begging before. Only her eyes are enough to melt every wall, I have ever built around me.

"Didn't you get an opportunity to rip off her clothes?" I ask softly. I can feel that the insane anger I had few days is gone.

Somehow deep in my mind, I always have known that neither of us is capable to sleep with anyone else, except with each other. Before I even have barely moved, she jumps on me hugging tight, "just stop it… you know that I would never do that." Arizona places a soft kiss on my neck, "I don't think that I would ever find anyone's neck as sexy as yours."

She puts her hands on my hipbones. Her fingers are placed so softly on them that I feel little tingly feelings all over my body. But, she does not move anymore, rather she breaths on the back on my ear, "Calliope, let's get married."

I cannot believe that she is asking me to marry her, when we have not talked properly since last two weeks. I turn slowly to look at her being careful not to touch her. I place my hands on my kitchen counter, because the way my heart is beating in my chest, I need something to hold on. Arizona again looks at me, "I don't have a ring and fancy proposal. All I know is I want to marry you."

I look down trying to hide my forming tears. I always have wanted to marry her and even I have planned a beautiful proposal for her, but everything went wrong between us.

"Calliope, I'm done with running away. These last few days made me realize that I could live anywhere, but not without you. I could not tolerate the way you did not see me." I can sense the pain in her voice even without looking at her too. "As if, I wasn't there…you didn't see me, at all…"

"I have always seen you, Arizona, always. But, I didn't know how not to look at you without these feelings...I have never known to look at you without being in love with you."

"Let's get married." She simply states again. "I know you love me…and I'm still your kiddo and I want to spend rest of my life being your kiddo."

"Arizona…" but she cuts me in kneeling down in front of me, "I know you like all this dramatic stuff. So, here I Arizona Robbins ready to make your life dramatic for the rest of our lives together." I start giggling, but she continues, "I'll do all those weird dramatic romantic thingies for you, even though I find them bizarre. Now will you marry me, my drama queen?" She wraps around my abdomen and rests her head on it, "Callie, don't dare to say no."

"No." I say holding her head near to my stomach.

"What?" she looks up leaving my stomach. "You are saying NO?"

"No, dumb…I'm saying that I would never say no to you…" I nod smiling.

"It's a yes..." She's looking at me making a total puppy face. After ages, I can see my kiddo. Instantly I decide not to drag anything, anymore. I simply nod my head up-down combing her hair back.

Then she starts rolling my shirt up and starts peppering my lower abdomen with feather like kisses. "Arizona, people kiss on the lips when they agree to get married not on the stomach." I say while grinning, but I'm surely turned on. It's been a while that we have slept with each other. My body aches out of longing, desire and love. It's never lust. The draw I feel to Arizona is a different kind of thing altogether. It's more chemical, more organic, and more natural. It's all consuming.

She then stands up and starts unbuttoning my jeans. "I missed you, Dr. Torres, the way I have never missed anything in my life." She starts pushing me on the kitchen counter locking her eyes on me, "I never knew that you had so much of effect on me." She starts playing with my waistband with one hand and with other hand she cups my cheek, "never ever hate me… promise me that you will always love me, no matter what!" she whispers in a demanding voice, her eyes are shimmered.

"I promise, Kiddo!" she slides her hands in my pants even before I have finished the sentence leaving me out of air.

That night we promise to each other never to be separated from each other. life is too short to play with it. We may have several love affairs in our lives, but there is one that true love- one that person, who will always be the one- no matter we are together or not! For me, Arizona is the one!

* * *

 **I think that now the story must meet an end. There might be an epilogue, no promises to be made though!**

 **This story took a toll on me. There were thousands of times, when I wanted to stop writing. But, every time, I rolled back. This was my time of living and dying and living again. The intensity I felt for that girl, while writing Arizona, only I know. That was painful and at the same time, worthy too. There are things for which we are destined!**

 _This was a story of lost and found! I found someone who is my partner of crime now, who is there even though I'm irrational, moody, cranky (she has a longer list though). And thank you, wilderness, for turning me into a monster…you know what I mean! I love you, wild cat! I cannot imagine spending a single day without you…but, I think you are crazy…otherwise, how come somebody could fall in love with a person like me, who is a total mess! But, you did! I promise to go dance classes with you, eat your hot food even if they burn my lips, will take you back home when you are drunk, spend my Sundays as you want them to be leaving my sports channel and books and wait for million seconds so that you get ready to have a life with me!_

 **There were so many readers who messaged me and comforted me in my bad days. I got so many passionate and loyal readers. Trust me, I love you all!Thanks to all of them… special thanks to Helena- I loved all your words… I would always want to have a reader like you who is there to bring a sweet smile on my face…**

 **By the way, I have another new crazy story down the line… ARE YOU READY?**

 _And kiddo, if you ever read this story, just know that I'm thankful to you. I got the most amazing thing because of you. Thanks to you! I wish you all the happiness in life- I know you deserve all the world._


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: The long-awaited epilogue…here it is!**

 **Toronto International Airport has been a place, where I have written two other important chapters of this story. so, I thought to write the epilogue sitting here.**

* * *

 _"She dreams of where she's never been_

 _A story starts where it should end"_

 **Epilogue**

"Callie, I so hate this gown." Since last night she has been complaining about her convocation gown.

"What's the problem with that?" I try to hide my smile. "You are looking cute."

"Of course, I'm not." Arizona says in her typical flat tone. Today is her convocation day and she has been chosen as the valedictorian of the convocation, which means she is supposed to give a speech in front of all of us. This is the reason, for what she has been so bothered about the gown- she never likes talking in front of so many people. She is in front of the mirror wearing the gown and cap for last half an hour.

Standing on her back, I hold her snaking around her waist. "You'll be totally fine, kiddo."

Although she visibly is relaxed in my arms, she still says in a stern voice, "don't call me kiddo… because of you, I had to earn such a high CGPA and now I have to give a speech also. This is all your fault."

I give a kiss on her gown covered shoulder. "I have never forced you to be the topper."

"Ehhh! How would you know the pressure of being the wife the most brilliant Professor of the school?"

"Well… thanks for the compliment, but I'm not the most brilliant…"

"Whatever…" Arizona snorts while looking at herself at the mirror.

I start giving couple of feather like kisses on her bare neck and feel how she has started getting goosebumps under my kisses. After almost two years of our marriage also, she still behaves as if I'm doing all these for the first time. I like how she wants me almost all the time. The craziness we had in the beginning of our relationship has turned into one of the most blessed things of my life. Dad made a little fuss in the beginning, but nowadays he seems to like Arizona a lot. Whenever he has a business problem, he would always call Arizona. Sometimes, I feel that my parents are becoming Arizona's parents.

"Calliope… you are so not helping." Saying this Arizona turns in my arms and wraps her hands around her shoulders. I know the look she is giving me and I know that too, no matter what I can never say no t her.

"How could I help you?" I play along with her.

Arizona unlocks my locked hands from her back and take off the gown letting it falling at our feet. Then, she takes one of my hands and guides it into her pants. "You can help it here." Arizona says it almost intoxicatedly.

"NO… we'll be late." Saying this too, I let my hands inside her pants and starts moving my fingers towards where she wants it most.

"I don't care…just do it now." She clasps my both shoulders to hold herself, as she is standing.

"But, I do care a lot…" I pull her in a searing kiss with another hand, while using my fingers expertly on her.

* * *

As I already knew that we were going to be late, but Arizona had to get what she wanted.

So, when we arrive the venue almost running, we see Adi and Zoie are standing at the entrance.

"Again late?" Adi almost yells.

"I mean… we …" I start fumbling because this has been a regular practice nowadays.

"Okay… I don't need to know the nitty gritty details of your exotic sex." Zoie cuts me with rolling eyes.

"we didn't have sex…" Arizona says looking somewhere else.

"Now please don't say that there was tire puncture… you already had that story two days back in my party." Zoie sarcastically stops her while hiding her smile.

"Yeah… Zoie is right." Adi supports her.

"We need to go in… it's gonna start soon." At this moment, this is the easiest way to escape under the fire of our two best friends. Yes, Zoie also has become one of our close friends. She in fact became Arizona's best person in our wedding and throughout the wedding she took care of Arizona. So, now more than me she is Arizona's friend. What I hate most is that, these two will always bitch about me and Adi whenever they will get any opportunity.

"Yes… let's go in. Your parents are already there." Adi informs me.

* * *

Arizona is also awarded the gold medal for her highest CGPA. so, once the medal is worn, she is called to the podium for the speech. I know the speech by heart because she has practiced for so many times in front of me. Once she draws the thank you line, the hall breaks into loud applause and Arizona moves towards the stairs. However, suddenly she stops and comes back to the podium making me surprised and everyone else is also looking at her. Then she looks at me, "Calliope, thank you for coming into my life...thank you for agreeing to be my wife and thank you for making me falling in love with you with every passing day. " And she starts walking back to the stairs, while everyone breaks into claps and whistles.

Arizona is not a person who would be expressive about her feelings so openly. But, today when she says all those words looking at me, I have lived a life within those few seconds.

"That was such a great expression of love! How come secretive Arizona got so open?" I tease Arizona, after the convocation ceremony, when I finally have a chance to talk to her.

"That was just a one-time thing… I thought to pay you back the morning favor." Arizona wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh! Is it?" I give a peck on her lips. "What the plan?"

"NO plan… except living my life with you." Arizona says leaning on me.

"I too have the similar 'no plan' in my mind." I reply hugging her tight.

I know that life always will not be blissful, there will always be ups and downs and I really do not know the future, but I know that no matter what, we two are going to live our lives together and always going to come to each other…

* * *

 **A/N: I just hope that you like the epilogue.**

 **My life turned total upside down from the time I started writing the story till the point I had finished it. I'm no more the same person. I no more know myself. But, I know one thing that things will happen for the better for all of us and we all will get what we deserve. And just remember one thing, there is nothing called one sided love- you would never know the feelings of hopelessly in love unless and until your love is reciprocated equally and then only you'll find your that 'true love'.**

 **Thank you so much for reading this. I'm grateful to all of you.**


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